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In recent months, an online clip from an Indian travel influencer expressing frustration over the limited power of the Indian passport gained massive traction across digital platforms.

The influencer stated although neighbouring countries such as Bhutan and Sri Lanka offered easier access to travelers from India, securing travel permits for visiting 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, ranking the country in the 85th spot among nearly two hundred nations, five spots lower compared to the previous year.

The Indian government has not commented on the report so far.

Nations including Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size compared to India – which is the world's fifth biggest economy – hold better positions on the index at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, in that order.

Actually, India's rank in the past decade has remained around the eighties, even dipping to ninetieth place in 2021. Such standings appear poor compared to Asian nations such as Singapore, Japan and South Korea, all maintaining leading ranks.

What Passport Strength Indicates

Passport strength reflects a nation's soft power and global influence. This leads to enhanced travel freedom for its citizens, boosting business and learning opportunities. Limited passport power means more paperwork, increased visa expenses, reduced travel benefits and longer waiting times when journeying.

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

For example, in 2014 – when the current administration's ruling party assumed office – 52 countries offered visa-free access for Indian passport holders and its passport at seventy-sixth position in the ranking.

A year later, it tumbled to the 85th position, then improved to eightieth over the past two years, declining once more to the eighty-fifth spot currently. Meanwhile, visa-free destinations for Indians increased from fifty-two eight years ago to sixty last year and sixty-two this year.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The count of visa-free destinations in 2025 (57) is higher than the number in 2015 (52), but India's rank for both these years is 85. What explains this situation?

Analysts note that a major reason is the increasingly competitive landscape in international travel – meaning nations are entering into additional travel agreements to benefit their citizens and economic growth. As per recent analysis, the worldwide mean count of countries travellers are able to access visa-free has almost doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to 109 in 2025.

As an illustration, China has increased its count of visa-free countries its citizens can travel to from 50 to 82 over the last ten years. As a result, its rank on the index has enhanced from ninety-fourth to sixtieth during the same time period.

Meanwhile, India – which was ranked at seventy-seventh place during summer – dropped to the 85th position this autumn following the loss of two nations.

Other Influences Impacting Passport Power

A former Indian ambassador says there are other factors influencing a nation's passport power, like economic and political conditions plus its openness to welcoming citizens from other countries.

For instance, the US passport has dropped out of the top 10 and now occupies the 12th position – a historic low – due to its more inward-looking approach in global affairs.

The former ambassador mentioned how in the 1970s, Indians enjoyed visa-free access to numerous European and Western nations, but that changed after the Sikh separatist movement in the 1980s. Subsequent political upheavals have further chipped away at India's image as a stable, democratic country.

"Numerous nations are growing more cautious regarding migrants," the diplomat added. "The country possesses a large quantity of people migrating overseas or remaining beyond visa limits and that interferes with the country's reputation."

Elements such as the security level a country's passport is and immigration processes also contribute in gaining visa-free entry to other countries.

Enhanced Security Measures

India's passport remains vulnerable to security threats. Last year, authorities arrested over two hundred individuals for alleged passport and visa irregularities. The country also has complex immigration processes and a slow pace of visa processing.

The diplomat says that new technologies, like India's recently-launched electronic passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and streamline immigration. The e-passport contains a microchip holding biometric data, making it harder to forge or tamper with the passport.

But, more diplomatic outreach and travel partnerships remain key to boosting the global mobility of Indians and, by extension, India's passport ranking.