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In recent months, a video by an Indian travel influencer expressing frustration over the limited power of the Indian passport went viral on social media.

The influencer stated although neighbouring countries such as Sri Lanka and Bhutan offered easier access to Indian tourists, obtaining visas to travel to most Western and European countries continued to be difficult.

This dissatisfaction with the limited global access of Indian passports found confirmation in recent global passport ranking, ranking India at position eighty-five out of 199 countries, a decline of five positions compared to the previous year.

The Indian government has not commented on the report yet.

Nations including Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size than India – which 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 in the past decade has remained in the 80s, falling to the 90th spot in 2021. Such standings are dismal when measured against other Asian countries like Singapore, Japan and South Korea, which have consistently held leading ranks.

Global Passport Power Measures

The power of a passport indicates a country's global influence and international standing. This leads to better mobility for passport holders, improving commercial and educational prospects. A weak passport results in additional documentation, higher visa costs, reduced travel benefits and longer waiting times for travel.

However, even with the drop in position, the count of nations offering visa-free access to Indians has actually increased in the past decade or so.

For example, in 2014 – the year the current administration's ruling party assumed office – fifty-two nations provided visa-free access to Indians and its passport ranked 76th on the index.

A year later, it tumbled to eighty-fifth place, then rose to eightieth over the past two years, declining once more to the 85th position this year. Meanwhile, visa-free destinations to Indian citizens increased from 52 in 2015 to sixty last year and sixty-two this year.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The number of visa-free destinations in 2025 (fifty-seven) is higher than what it was eight years ago (52), but the country's position for both these years is 85. What explains this situation?

Experts say that a primary factor involves growing competition in international travel – indicating that countries are forming more travel partnerships to benefit their citizens and economic growth. According to recent analysis, the worldwide mean number of destinations travellers are able to access without visas has almost doubled from 58 in 2006 to one hundred nine currently.

For example, The Chinese passport has expanded its count of visa-free destinations its citizens can travel to from 50 to 82 in the past decade. Consequently, its rank in the ranking has enhanced from 94th to 60th in that same duration.

In comparison, India – previously positioned 77th on the index in July – fell to eighty-fifth place in October following the loss of two nations.

Additional Factors Impacting Passport Power

A former Indian ambassador notes there are other factors influencing the strength of a country's passport, like economic and political conditions plus its openness to welcoming citizens from other countries.

For instance, the American passport has dropped out of the top 10 currently holding the 12th position – a historic low – because of its increasingly insular stance in world politics.

The former ambassador mentioned that during the seventies, Indian citizens had visa-free access to many Western and European countries, but that changed after the Khalistan movement in the 1980s. Later political disturbances have further chipped away at India's image as a stable democracy.

"Numerous nations are growing more cautious of immigrants," he stated. "India has a high number of people migrating overseas or remaining beyond visa limits and that interferes with the national image."

Factors such as how secure of a national passport and immigration processes also contribute in gaining visa-free entry to other countries.

Security and Technological Improvements

India's passport remains vulnerable to security risks. Last year, authorities arrested 203 people for alleged passport and visa irregularities. The country also has complex immigration processes and a slow pace for visa approvals.

The diplomat indicated that new technologies, such as the newly introduced electronic passport or e-passport, can improve security and streamline immigration. The e-passport includes a microchip that stores biometric data, making it harder to forge or tamper with the passport.

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