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In recent months, an online clip by an Indian travel influencer complaining about India's weak passport went viral across digital platforms.

The influencer stated although nearby nations like Sri Lanka and Bhutan offered easier access to Indian tourists, securing travel permits to travel to many nations in Europe and the West continued to be difficult.

This dissatisfaction regarding the limited global access of Indian passports was reflected in recent global passport ranking, ranking the country at position eighty-five among nearly two hundred nations, five spots lower than last year.

Officials in India have not issued a statement on the report yet.

Nations including Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies compared to India – a nation that is the world's fifth biggest economy – hold better positions in the ranking at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, in that order.

Actually, India's rank over the last ten years has remained in the 80s, even dipping to ninetieth place in 2021. These rankings are dismal when measured against Asian nations like Singapore, Japan and South Korea, all maintaining top positions.

Global Passport Power Indicates

Passport strength indicates a nation's soft power and global influence. This leads to better mobility for its citizens, boosting business and learning opportunities. Limited passport power results in additional documentation, increased visa expenses, fewer travel privileges and extended processing periods for travel.

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

For example, eight years ago – the year the current administration's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power – 52 countries offered visa-free travel for Indian passport holders and its passport at seventy-sixth position in the ranking.

A year later, it fell to the 85th position, then rose to 80th over the past two years, dropping again to the 85th position this year. At the same time, visa-free destinations for Indians increased from fifty-two eight years ago to 60 in 2023 and 62 in 2024.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

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

Experts say that a primary factor is the increasingly competitive landscape in global mobility – meaning countries are forming more travel partnerships to benefit their citizens and economic growth. According to recent analysis, the worldwide mean count of countries people can visit without visas has nearly doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to 109 in 2025.

For example, The Chinese passport has expanded its count of visa-free countries available to its citizens from 50 to 82 over the last ten years. As a result, its rank on the index has improved from ninety-fourth to sixtieth in that same duration.

Meanwhile, The Indian passport – which was ranked 77th on the index in July – fell to the 85th position this autumn following the loss of two nations.

Additional Factors Impacting Passport Power

An ex-diplomat from India says there are other factors that affect the strength of a country's passport, including economic and political conditions plus its openness to welcoming citizens from abroad.

For example, the US passport has dropped out of the top 10 and now occupies twelfth place – a historic low – because of its more inward-looking approach in global affairs.

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

"Numerous nations are also becoming more cautious regarding migrants," the diplomat added. "India has a high number of people migrating overseas or overstaying their visas affecting the national image."

Elements such as the security level a country's passport is and its immigration procedures also contribute in gaining visa-free entry to foreign nations.

Enhanced Security Measures

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

The diplomat says that new technologies, like India's recently-launched electronic passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and ease the immigration process. The e-passport includes a small chip holding biometric information, increasing difficulty to forge or tamper with the passport.

But, more diplomatic outreach and travel partnerships continue essential for enhancing international travel freedom for Indian citizens and, by extension, India's passport ranking.