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Earlier this year, a video by a popular travel content creator expressing frustration over India's weak passport gained massive traction across digital platforms.

The influencer stated although neighbouring countries such as Sri Lanka and Bhutan were more welcoming to Indian tourists, obtaining visas to travel to many nations in Europe and the West continued to be difficult.

This dissatisfaction with India's poor passport strength was reflected in the latest global passport ranking, which placed India in the 85th spot out of 199 countries, a decline of five positions compared to the previous year.

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

Nations including Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size than India – a nation that is the fifth-largest economy globally – hold better positions in the ranking at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, in that order.

Actually, India's rank over the last ten years has remained in the 80s, falling to the 90th spot two years ago. These rankings are dismal when measured against Asian nations like Singapore, Japan and South Korea, all maintaining leading ranks.

Global Passport Power Indicates

Passport strength indicates a country's global influence and global influence. This leads to better mobility for passport holders, improving commercial and learning opportunities. A weak passport means more paperwork, higher visa costs, reduced travel benefits and extended processing periods when journeying.

However, even with the decline in the rank, the number of countries offering visa-free access to Indians has grown over the last ten years.

For example, in 2014 – when the current administration's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power – fifty-two nations provided visa-free travel for Indian passport holders and its passport ranked 76th on the index.

The following year, it fell to the 85th position, then rose to 80th over the past two years, dropping again to the eighty-fifth spot currently. At the same time, visa-free destinations to Indian citizens increased from fifty-two eight years ago to 60 in 2023 and 62 in 2024.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The number of visa-free destinations this year (57) is higher than what it was in 2015 (fifty-two), yet the country's position for both these years is 85. What explains this situation?

Analysts note that a primary factor involves growing competition in international travel – meaning countries are forming more travel partnerships for their populations' advantage and their economies. As per a 2025 report, the worldwide mean number of destinations travellers are able to access without visas has nearly doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to one hundred nine currently.

For example, China has increased the number of visa-free countries its citizens can travel to from fifty to eighty-two over the last ten years. Consequently, its rank in the ranking has enhanced from 94th to 60th in that same duration.

Meanwhile, The Indian passport – which was ranked at seventy-seventh place in July – fell to the 85th position in October after losing access of two nations.

Additional Factors Affecting Passport Strength

A former Indian ambassador says there are other factors influencing the strength of a country's passport, including its economic and political stability as well as its receptiveness to accepting travelers from other countries.

For example, the US passport has fallen from the top ten and now occupies twelfth place – its lowest ever – due to its more inward-looking approach in global affairs.

The former ambassador mentioned how in the 1970s, Indians enjoyed visa-free access to many Western and European countries, though this shifted after the Khalistan movement during the eighties. Subsequent political upheavals have further chipped away at India's image as a stable, democratic country.

"Numerous nations are growing increasingly wary regarding migrants," he stated. "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 how secure a country's passport is and immigration processes also play a role to obtaining visa-free access to other countries.

Security and Technological Improvements

The Indian passport faces ongoing security threats. Last year, authorities detained 203 people for alleged visa and passport fraud. India is also known for complex immigration processes and a slow pace of visa processing.

The diplomat says that new technologies, such as the newly introduced digital passport or e-passport, can improve security and streamline immigration. This electronic document contains a small chip holding biometric information, making it harder to counterfeit or alter the passport.

However, increased diplomatic efforts and travel partnerships remain key to boosting the global mobility for Indian citizens and, by extension, the Indian passport's global position.