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In recent months, an online clip from an Indian travel influencer complaining about India's weak passport gained massive traction across digital platforms.

The influencer stated that while nearby nations such as Bhutan and Sri Lanka offered easier access to travelers from India, obtaining visas to travel to many nations in Europe and the West continued to be difficult.

This dissatisfaction regarding India's poor passport strength found confirmation in the latest global passport ranking, which placed India at position eighty-five out of 199 countries, five spots lower than last year.

Officials in India have not issued a statement regarding these findings yet.

Countries including Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size than India – a nation that is the fifth-largest economy globally – are ranked higher on the index in the seventies range, in that order.

Actually, India's rank over the last ten years has remained around the eighties, falling to ninetieth place in 2021. These rankings are dismal when measured against Asian nations like Japan, South Korea and Singapore, which have consistently held top positions.

Global Passport Power Indicates

Passport strength indicates a nation's soft power and international standing. It also translates into enhanced travel freedom for passport holders, improving commercial and educational prospects. Limited passport power means more paperwork, higher visa costs, reduced travel benefits and extended processing periods for travel.

But despite the drop in position, the number of countries offering visa-free access for Indian citizens has grown over the last ten years.

As an instance, in 2014 – the year the current administration's ruling party assumed office – 52 countries offered visa-free travel for Indian passport holders and its passport at seventy-sixth position on the index.

The following year, it fell to eighty-fifth place, then rose to 80th over the past two years, dropping again to the eighty-fifth spot currently. Meanwhile, visa-free destinations to Indian citizens increased from 52 in 2015 to sixty last year and 62 in 2024.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The count of visa-free destinations in 2025 (57) exceeds what it was eight years ago (52), but India's rank during both periods remains at eighty-fifth. So, why is that?

Experts say that a primary factor is the increasingly competitive landscape in global mobility – indicating that nations are forming more travel partnerships for their populations' advantage and their economies. As per recent analysis, the global average number of destinations people can visit visa-free has nearly doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to 109 in 2025.

As an illustration, China has expanded its count of visa-free countries available to its citizens from fifty to eighty-two in the past decade. Consequently, its position on the index has improved from ninety-fourth to sixtieth during the same time period.

In comparison, India – previously positioned 77th on the index during summer – dropped to eighty-fifth place in October after losing access to two countries.

Other Influences Impacting Passport Power

A former Indian ambassador says there are other factors that affect a nation's passport power, including its economic and political stability plus its receptiveness to accepting travelers from abroad.

For example, the US passport has fallen from the top ten and now occupies the 12th position – a historic low – because of its more inward-looking approach in world politics.

The former ambassador recalls how in the 1970s, Indian citizens had visa-free travel to many Western and European countries, though this shifted after the Khalistan movement in the 1980s. Later political disturbances have continued to damage at India's image as a stable democracy.

"Many countries are growing increasingly wary of immigrants," the diplomat added. "India has a large quantity of citizens emigrating to other countries or overstaying their visas affecting the country's reputation."

Elements such as how secure of a national passport and its immigration procedures also contribute to obtaining visa-free entry to other countries.

Security and Technological Improvements

India's passport faces ongoing security threats. In 2024, law enforcement detained 203 people for alleged visa and passport fraud. India is also known for complex immigration processes and a slow pace for visa approvals.

The former ambassador indicated that technological advances, such as the newly introduced digital passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and ease the immigration process. This electronic document includes a small chip that stores biometric data, increasing difficulty to counterfeit or alter the document.

But, increased diplomatic efforts and travel agreements remain key to boosting international travel freedom for Indian citizens and, by extension, India's passport ranking.