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In recent months, an online clip from an Indian travel influencer expressing frustration over India's weak passport went viral across digital platforms.

He mentioned that while neighbouring countries such as Sri Lanka and Bhutan were more welcoming of Indian tourists, securing travel permits to travel to most Western and European countries remained a challenge.

Such concerns with the limited global access of Indian passports found confirmation in recent global passport ranking, ranking the country at position eighty-five out of nearly two hundred nations, five spots lower compared to the previous year.

Officials in India has not commented on the report so far.

Nations like Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size than India – which is the world's fifth biggest economy – hold better positions on the index at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, in that order.

In fact, the country's position in the past decade has remained around the eighties, falling to ninetieth place in 2021. Such standings appear poor when measured against Asian nations like Singapore, Japan and South Korea, all maintaining top positions.

What Passport Strength Indicates

The power of a passport reflects a nation's soft power and global influence. It also translates into better mobility for its citizens, improving commercial and educational prospects. Limited passport power means more paperwork, increased visa expenses, reduced travel benefits and longer waiting times for travel.

However, even with the drop in position, the number of countries offering visa-free access to Indians has actually increased in the past decade or so.

As an instance, in 2014 – the year Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed office – 52 countries offered visa-free access for Indian passport holders with the passport ranked 76th in the ranking.

The following year, it fell to eighty-fifth place, then rose to 80th over the past two years, declining once more to the 85th position currently. At the same time, countries allowing visa-free travel for Indians increased from 52 in 2015 to sixty last year and 62 in 2024.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The count of nations allowing visa-free entry in 2025 (fifty-seven) exceeds what it was in 2015 (52), yet India's rank during both periods remains at eighty-fifth. What explains this situation?

Experts say that a primary factor involves growing competition in global mobility – meaning countries are entering into additional travel agreements to benefit their citizens and their economies. According to recent analysis, the worldwide mean number of destinations travellers are able to access visa-free has nearly doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to 109 in 2025.

For example, China has expanded the number of visa-free countries available to its citizens from fifty to eighty-two over the last ten years. As a result, its position in the ranking has improved from ninety-fourth to sixtieth in that same duration.

Meanwhile, India – which was ranked 77th on the index in July – dropped to eighty-fifth place in October following the loss of two nations.

Other Influences Affecting Passport Strength

An ex-diplomat from India says multiple elements influencing the strength of a country's passport, including its economic and political stability plus its receptiveness to welcoming citizens from abroad.

For example, the American passport has dropped out from the top ten currently holding the 12th position – its lowest ever – due to its more inward-looking approach in global affairs.

The former ambassador recalls how in the 1970s, Indians enjoyed visa-free access to numerous European and Western nations, though this shifted after the Khalistan movement during the eighties. Subsequent political upheavals have continued to damage the country's reputation as a stable democracy.

"Numerous nations are also becoming increasingly wary of immigrants," the diplomat added. "India has a large quantity of citizens emigrating to other countries or remaining beyond visa limits affecting the national image."

Factors like how secure of a national passport and its immigration procedures also contribute in gaining visa-free access to foreign nations.

Enhanced Security Measures

The Indian passport faces ongoing security risks. Last year, law enforcement arrested over two hundred individuals for suspected visa and passport fraud. India is also known for complex immigration processes with lengthy timelines of visa processing.

The diplomat indicated that new technologies, like India's recently-launched electronic passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and streamline immigration. The e-passport contains a microchip that stores biometric information, increasing difficulty to forge or tamper with the passport.

But, more diplomatic outreach and travel partnerships continue essential to boosting international travel freedom of Indians and, by extension, the Indian passport's global position.