🔗 Share this article

Earlier this year, a video from an Indian travel influencer complaining about India's weak passport gained massive traction on social media.

The influencer stated that while nearby nations such as Sri Lanka and Bhutan were more welcoming of Indian tourists, obtaining visas to travel to most Western and European countries remained a challenge.

Such concerns with the limited global access of Indian passports found confirmation in recent global passport ranking, which placed the country at position eighty-five among nearly two hundred nations, a decline of five positions than last year.

Officials in India have not issued a statement on the report so far.

Countries including Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size than India – which is the world's fifth biggest economy – hold better positions on the index in the seventies range, in that order.

In fact, India's rank in the past decade has hovered in the 80s, even dipping to ninetieth place two years ago. Such standings are dismal compared to Asian nations like Singapore, Japan and South Korea, all maintaining top positions.

What Passport Strength Measures

Passport strength indicates a country's global influence and global influence. It also translates into enhanced travel freedom for passport holders, improving commercial and learning opportunities. A weak passport means more paperwork, higher visa costs, fewer travel privileges and extended processing periods for travel.

But despite the drop in position, the count of nations offering visa-free access to Indians has grown over the last ten years.

For example, in 2014 – the year Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed office – 52 countries provided visa-free travel for Indian passport holders with the passport at seventy-sixth position on the index.

The following year, it tumbled to eighty-fifth place, then improved to 80th over the past two years, declining once more to the eighty-fifth spot this year. At the same time, countries allowing visa-free travel to Indian citizens grew from fifty-two eight years ago to 60 in 2023 and 62 in 2024.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The number of visa-free destinations this year (fifty-seven) exceeds what it was eight years ago (52), but the country's position during both periods remains at eighty-fifth. What explains this situation?

Experts say that a primary factor involves growing competition in international travel – meaning nations are entering into additional travel agreements to benefit their citizens and their economies. As per a 2025 report, the worldwide mean count of countries travellers are able to access without visas has almost doubled from 58 in 2006 to 109 in 2025.

As an illustration, The Chinese passport has increased its count of visa-free destinations available to its citizens from fifty to eighty-two in the past decade. As a result, its rank on the index has enhanced from 94th to 60th in that same duration.

In comparison, The Indian passport – which was ranked 77th on the index during summer – dropped to the 85th position this autumn after losing access to two countries.

Other Influences Impacting Passport Power

An ex-diplomat from India notes there are other factors that affect a nation's passport power, like economic and political conditions plus its receptiveness to welcoming citizens from other countries.

For example, the US passport has fallen of the top 10 and now occupies twelfth place – a historic low – because of its more inward-looking approach in world politics.

The former ambassador recalls that during the seventies, Indian citizens had visa-free travel to many Western and European countries, though this shifted after the Sikh separatist movement during the eighties. Subsequent political upheavals have further chipped away the country's reputation as a stable democracy.

"Numerous nations are also becoming more cautious regarding migrants," he stated. "The country possesses a high number of people migrating to other countries or overstaying their visas and that interferes with the country's reputation."

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

Enhanced Security Measures

The Indian passport faces ongoing security threats. Last year, law enforcement arrested 203 people for suspected visa and passport fraud. India is also known for cumbersome immigration procedures and a slow pace for visa approvals.

The diplomat says that technological advances, such as the newly introduced electronic passport or e-passport, can improve security and streamline immigration. The e-passport contains a small chip holding biometric data, increasing difficulty to forge or tamper with the passport.

But, increased diplomatic efforts and travel partnerships remain key for enhancing the global mobility for Indian citizens and consequently, the Indian passport's global position.