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In recent months, a video by a popular travel content creator expressing frustration over India's weak passport went viral on social media.

He mentioned that while nearby nations like Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming of Indian tourists, securing travel permits to travel to most Western and European countries continued to be difficult.

Such concerns regarding the limited global access of Indian passports was reflected in the latest global passport ranking, which placed India at position eighty-five among nearly two hundred nations, five spots lower compared to the previous year.

The Indian government has not commented on the report yet.

Countries like Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies than India – which is the fifth-largest economy globally – are ranked higher in the ranking at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, respectively.

Actually, India's rank in the past decade has remained around the eighties, falling to the 90th spot two years ago. These rankings appear poor when measured against other Asian countries like Singapore, Japan and South Korea, all maintaining leading ranks.

Global Passport Power Measures

Passport strength reflects a nation's soft power and international standing. This leads to enhanced travel freedom for passport holders, improving commercial and educational prospects. Limited passport power results in additional documentation, higher visa costs, fewer travel privileges and extended processing periods when journeying.

However, even with the decline in the rank, the number of countries providing visa-free travel for Indian citizens has actually increased over the last ten years.

As an instance, in 2014 – when the current administration's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed office – fifty-two nations provided visa-free access to Indians and its passport at seventy-sixth position in the ranking.

A year later, it fell to eighty-fifth place, then rose to 80th over the past two years, declining once more to the eighty-fifth spot currently. At the same time, countries allowing visa-free travel for Indians increased from fifty-two eight years ago to sixty last year and sixty-two this year.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The number of nations allowing visa-free entry in 2025 (fifty-seven) exceeds what it was in 2015 (fifty-two), but India's rank for both these years remains at eighty-fifth. So, why is that?

Analysts note that a major reason involves growing competition in global mobility – indicating that nations are forming more travel partnerships to benefit their citizens and their economies. According to recent analysis, the worldwide mean number of destinations travellers are able to access 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 destinations available to its citizens from fifty to eighty-two over the last ten years. As a result, its rank on the index has enhanced from 94th to 60th in that same duration.

In comparison, The Indian passport – which was ranked at seventy-seventh place in July – fell to eighty-fifth place in October after losing access of two nations.

Other Influences Affecting Passport Strength

An ex-diplomat from India notes there are other factors that affect the strength of a country's passport, including economic and political conditions plus its receptiveness to accepting travelers from abroad.

For instance, the US passport has dropped out of the top 10 and now occupies twelfth place – a historic low – due to its increasingly insular stance in global affairs.

The diplomat mentioned how in the 1970s, Indians enjoyed visa-free travel to many Western and European countries, but that changed after the Khalistan movement in the 1980s. Subsequent political upheavals have continued to damage the country's reputation as a stable democracy.

"Numerous nations are also becoming more cautious regarding migrants," the diplomat added. "The country possesses a high number of citizens emigrating to other countries or remaining beyond visa limits and that interferes with the country's reputation."

Elements like how secure a country's passport is and immigration processes also contribute to obtaining visa-free access to foreign nations.

Enhanced Security Measures

India's passport remains vulnerable to security threats. Last year, authorities arrested 203 people for alleged passport and visa irregularities. India is also known for cumbersome immigration procedures 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 microchip that stores biometric information, making it harder to forge or tamper with the passport.

However, more diplomatic outreach and travel partnerships continue essential for enhancing the global mobility for Indian citizens and, by extension, India's passport ranking.