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Earlier this year, an online clip from a popular travel content creator complaining about the limited power of the Indian passport went viral across digital platforms.

The influencer stated that while neighbouring countries like Sri Lanka and Bhutan offered easier access of travelers from India, securing travel permits to travel to many nations in Europe and the West remained a challenge.

Such concerns with the limited global access of Indian passports found confirmation in recent global passport ranking, which placed India in the 85th spot out of nearly two hundred nations, a decline of five positions compared to the previous year.

Officials in India has not commented on the report yet.

Countries like Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies compared to India – a nation that is the world's fifth biggest economy – are ranked higher on the index at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, respectively.

In fact, India's rank over the last ten years has hovered around the eighties, falling to the 90th spot in 2021. Such standings are dismal compared to Asian nations such as Japan, South Korea and Singapore, all maintaining top positions.

What Passport Strength Measures

Passport strength reflects a nation's soft power and international standing. This leads to enhanced travel freedom for passport holders, boosting business and educational prospects. Limited passport power means more paperwork, increased visa expenses, reduced travel benefits and longer waiting times when journeying.

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

As an instance, in 2014 – the year the current administration's ruling party assumed office – 52 countries provided visa-free travel to Indians and its passport ranked 76th in the ranking.

A year later, it tumbled to the 85th position, then improved to 80th over the past two years, dropping again to the eighty-fifth spot this year. Meanwhile, countries allowing visa-free travel for Indians increased from 52 in 2015 to 60 in 2023 and sixty-two this year.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The count of nations allowing visa-free entry in 2025 (57) is higher than what it was eight years ago (fifty-two), but the country's position during both periods is 85. So, why is that?

Analysts note that a primary factor involves growing competition in international travel – indicating that nations are entering into additional travel agreements to benefit their citizens and their economies. As per a 2025 report, the global average count of countries people can visit visa-free has almost doubled from 58 in 2006 to 109 in 2025.

For example, The Chinese passport has increased the number of visa-free countries available to its citizens from fifty to eighty-two in the past decade. As a result, its rank in the ranking has enhanced from ninety-fourth to sixtieth in that same duration.

Meanwhile, The Indian passport – previously positioned 77th on the index in July – dropped to eighty-fifth place in October after losing access to two countries.

Additional Factors Affecting Passport Strength

A former Indian ambassador notes multiple elements that affect the strength of a country's passport, including economic and political conditions as well as its receptiveness to accepting travelers from other countries.

For example, the US passport has dropped out from the top ten and now occupies twelfth place – its lowest ever – due to its increasingly insular stance in world politics.

The diplomat mentioned how in the 1970s, Indian citizens had visa-free travel to numerous European and Western nations, but that changed after the Sikh separatist movement in the 1980s. Later political disturbances have further chipped away at India's image as a stable, democratic country.

"Numerous nations are growing increasingly wary of immigrants," the diplomat added. "The country possesses a large quantity of citizens emigrating to other countries or remaining beyond visa limits affecting the country's reputation."

Elements such as how secure 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 threats. Last year, law enforcement detained over two hundred individuals for alleged passport and visa irregularities. India is also known for cumbersome immigration procedures with lengthy timelines for visa approvals.

The diplomat indicated that technological advances, such as the newly introduced electronic passport or e-passport, can improve security and ease the immigration process. This electronic document contains a small chip that stores biometric information, making it harder to forge or tamper with the passport.

But, more diplomatic outreach and travel agreements remain key for enhancing international travel freedom of Indians and, by extension, the Indian passport's global position.