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In recent months, an online clip from a popular travel content creator complaining about the limited power of the Indian passport gained massive traction across digital platforms.

He mentioned that while nearby nations like Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming to travelers from India, obtaining visas for visiting many nations in Europe and the West remained a challenge.

Such concerns regarding the limited global access of Indian passports was reflected in recent global passport ranking, ranking India at position eighty-five among 199 countries, five spots lower than last year.

The Indian government has not commented regarding these findings so far.

Nations including 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 in the seventies range, in that order.

Actually, the country's position in the past decade has remained in the 80s, falling to the 90th spot two years ago. These rankings appear poor compared to other Asian countries like Japan, South Korea and Singapore, all maintaining top positions.

What Passport Strength Measures

The power of a passport reflects a nation's soft power and global influence. It also translates into enhanced travel freedom for its citizens, boosting business and educational prospects. Limited passport power means additional documentation, higher visa costs, reduced travel benefits and extended processing periods when journeying.

But despite the decline in the rank, the number of countries providing visa-free travel for Indian citizens has grown in the past decade or so.

For example, eight years ago – the year Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed office – 52 countries offered visa-free travel for Indian passport holders and its passport ranked 76th in the ranking.

A year later, it tumbled to the 85th position, then rose to eightieth over the past two years, declining once more to the 85th position currently. Meanwhile, countries allowing visa-free travel for Indians increased from 52 in 2015 to sixty last year and sixty-two this year.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The count of nations allowing visa-free entry this year (fifty-seven) exceeds what it was eight years ago (fifty-two), but India's rank for both these years is 85. So, why is that?

Experts say that a major reason involves growing competition in international travel – meaning countries are entering into more travel partnerships for their populations' advantage and economic growth. According to a 2025 report, the global average number of destinations travellers are able to access visa-free has nearly doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to 109 in 2025.

As an illustration, China has increased the number of visa-free destinations its citizens can travel to from fifty to eighty-two over the last ten years. As a result, its position in the ranking has improved from 94th to 60th during the same time period.

Meanwhile, India – which was ranked 77th on the index during summer – fell to eighty-fifth place this autumn following the loss to two countries.

Additional Factors Impacting Passport Power

An ex-diplomat from India notes multiple elements that affect a nation's passport power, like economic and political conditions as well as its receptiveness to welcoming citizens from other countries.

For instance, the American passport has dropped out of the top 10 currently holding 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 numerous European and Western nations, though this shifted following Sikh separatist movement in the 1980s. Later political disturbances have continued to damage the country's reputation as a stable, democratic country.

"Many countries are also becoming more cautious regarding migrants," the diplomat added. "The country possesses a large quantity of people migrating to other countries or remaining beyond visa limits affecting the national image."

Elements such as the security level of a national passport and immigration processes also play a role in gaining visa-free access to other countries.

Enhanced Security Measures

The Indian passport faces ongoing security risks. In 2024, authorities detained 203 people for alleged visa and passport fraud. The country also has cumbersome immigration procedures and a slow pace of visa processing.

The former ambassador says that technological advances, such as the newly introduced electronic passport or e-passport, can improve security and streamline immigration. This electronic document contains a microchip that stores biometric information, increasing difficulty to counterfeit or alter the document.

But, more diplomatic outreach and travel agreements remain key for enhancing the global mobility of Indians and consequently, the Indian passport's global position.