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In recent months, a video from a popular travel content creator expressing frustration over the limited power of the Indian passport gained massive traction on social media.

The influencer stated that while neighbouring countries like Sri Lanka and Bhutan offered easier access to travelers from India, obtaining visas for visiting most Western and European countries remained a challenge.

This dissatisfaction with India's poor passport strength was reflected in recent 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 on the report so far.

Countries including Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size than India – a nation that is the fifth-largest economy globally – 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 hovered around the eighties, falling to ninetieth place two years ago. These rankings appear poor compared to Asian nations like Singapore, Japan and South Korea, which have consistently held leading ranks.

Global Passport Power Measures

Passport strength indicates a nation's soft power and global influence. This leads to better mobility for its citizens, improving commercial and educational prospects. Limited passport power means additional documentation, increased visa expenses, reduced travel benefits and extended processing periods when journeying.

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

As an instance, in 2014 – when Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed office – fifty-two nations offered visa-free travel for Indian passport holders and its passport at seventy-sixth position on the index.

The following year, it tumbled to the 85th position, then rose to 80th in 2023 and 2024, dropping again to the eighty-fifth spot this year. Meanwhile, countries allowing visa-free travel for Indians grew from fifty-two eight years ago to 60 in 2023 and sixty-two this year.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The number of nations allowing visa-free entry in 2025 (57) exceeds the number in 2015 (fifty-two), yet India's rank for both these years is 85. So, why is that?

Experts say that a primary factor involves growing competition in global mobility – indicating that nations are entering into additional travel agreements to benefit their citizens and economic growth. According to a 2025 report, the global average count of countries people can visit without visas has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to 109 in 2025.

As an illustration, China has expanded the number of visa-free destinations its citizens can travel to from 50 to 82 in the past decade. Consequently, its position on the index has improved from ninety-fourth to sixtieth during the same time period.

Meanwhile, India – which was ranked at seventy-seventh place in July – dropped to the 85th position in October following the loss of two nations.

Additional Factors Affecting Passport Strength

An ex-diplomat from India says there are other factors that affect a nation's passport power, including economic and political conditions plus its openness to accepting travelers from abroad.

For example, the American passport has fallen of the top 10 currently holding the 12th position – a historic low – due to its increasingly insular stance in global affairs.

The former ambassador mentioned how in the 1970s, Indian citizens had visa-free travel to numerous European and Western nations, but that changed following Sikh separatist movement during the eighties. Subsequent political upheavals have further chipped away the country's reputation as a stable, democratic country.

"Numerous nations are also becoming increasingly wary regarding migrants," the diplomat added. "The country possesses a high number of people migrating overseas or remaining beyond visa limits affecting the country's reputation."

Elements like how secure of a national passport and immigration processes also contribute to obtaining visa-free entry to other countries.

Security and Technological Improvements

India's passport faces ongoing security threats. In 2024, authorities arrested 203 people for suspected passport and visa irregularities. India is also known for cumbersome immigration procedures with lengthy timelines of visa processing.

The former ambassador indicated that technological advances, like India's recently-launched digital passport or e-passport, can improve security and streamline immigration. The e-passport contains a microchip that stores biometric information, increasing difficulty to forge or tamper with the document.

However, increased diplomatic efforts and travel agreements continue essential for enhancing the global mobility for Indian citizens and consequently, the Indian passport's global position.