🔗 Share this article

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

The influencer stated that while nearby nations such as Bhutan and Sri Lanka offered easier access of travelers from India, obtaining visas to travel to most Western and European countries continued to be difficult.

This dissatisfaction with India's poor passport strength found confirmation in recent global passport ranking, which placed India in the 85th spot out of nearly two hundred nations, a decline of five positions compared to the previous year.

The Indian government have not issued a statement on the report so far.

Nations like Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies than India – which is the world's fifth biggest economy – are ranked higher in the ranking in the seventies range, respectively.

Actually, India's rank in the past decade has remained around the eighties, falling to ninetieth place two years ago. Such standings appear poor when measured against other Asian countries such as Japan, South Korea and Singapore, which have consistently held leading ranks.

What Passport Strength Indicates

Passport strength reflects a nation's soft power and international standing. It also translates into better mobility for its citizens, improving commercial and educational prospects. A weak passport results in additional documentation, higher visa costs, reduced travel benefits and longer waiting times when journeying.

But despite the decline in the rank, the count of nations providing visa-free travel for Indian citizens has grown over the last ten years.

As an instance, eight years ago – the year the current administration's ruling party assumed office – 52 countries offered visa-free access to Indians with the passport ranked 76th on the index.

The following year, it tumbled to eighty-fifth place, then rose to 80th in 2023 and 2024, dropping again to the 85th position this year. Meanwhile, visa-free destinations to Indian citizens grew from fifty-two eight years ago 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 (fifty-two), but India's rank for both these years remains at eighty-fifth. What explains this situation?

Analysts note that a primary factor involves growing competition in international travel – meaning countries are entering into more travel partnerships for their populations' advantage and their economies. According to recent analysis, the global average count of countries travellers are able to access without visas has almost doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to one hundred nine currently.

As an illustration, China has increased its count of visa-free countries its citizens can travel to from 50 to 82 in the past decade. As a result, its position on the index has improved from 94th to 60th in that same duration.

In comparison, The Indian passport – previously positioned at seventy-seventh place in July – dropped to eighty-fifth place in October following the loss to two countries.

Other Influences Affecting Passport Strength

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

For instance, the American passport has dropped out from the top ten and now occupies twelfth place – a historic low – due to its more inward-looking approach in global affairs.

The former ambassador mentioned that during the seventies, Indian citizens had visa-free access to many Western and European countries, but that changed following Khalistan movement during the eighties. Subsequent political upheavals have continued to damage the country's reputation as a stable democracy.

"Many countries are growing increasingly wary of immigrants," he stated. "The country possesses a high number of citizens emigrating to other countries or remaining beyond visa limits affecting the national image."

Elements like how secure a country's passport is and immigration processes also contribute in gaining visa-free entry to foreign nations.

Security and Technological Improvements

India's passport remains vulnerable to security risks. Last year, law enforcement detained over two hundred individuals for alleged visa and passport fraud. The country also has cumbersome immigration procedures and a slow pace for visa approvals.

The former ambassador indicated that technological advances, like India's recently-launched electronic passport or e-passport, can improve security and ease the immigration process. The e-passport includes a small chip that stores biometric data, making it harder to forge or tamper with the document.

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