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In recent months, a video from a popular travel content creator expressing frustration over India's weak passport gained massive traction on social media.

He mentioned although neighbouring countries like Sri Lanka and Bhutan offered easier access of travelers from India, securing travel permits to travel to most Western and European countries continued to be difficult.

Such concerns with the limited global access of Indian passports found confirmation in the latest global passport ranking, ranking the country at position eighty-five 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 yet.

Countries including Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size than India – which is the fifth-largest economy globally – are ranked higher in the ranking in the seventies range, respectively.

In fact, the country's position in the past decade has remained around the eighties, even dipping to the 90th spot in 2021. These rankings appear poor compared to other Asian countries like Japan, South Korea and Singapore, 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, boosting business and learning opportunities. A weak passport results in additional documentation, higher visa costs, fewer travel privileges and extended processing periods when journeying.

However, even with the decline in the rank, the number of countries providing visa-free travel for Indian citizens has grown over the last ten years.

As an instance, eight years ago – when Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling party assumed office – 52 countries offered visa-free travel for Indian passport holders and its passport ranked 76th in the ranking.

The following year, it fell to the 85th position, then improved to eightieth in 2023 and 2024, dropping again to the eighty-fifth spot this year. At the same time, visa-free destinations to Indian citizens grew from 52 in 2015 to 60 in 2023 and 62 in 2024.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The number of nations allowing visa-free entry this year (57) exceeds what it was eight years ago (fifty-two), yet the country's position for both these years remains at eighty-fifth. What explains this situation?

Experts say that a primary factor is the increasingly competitive landscape in global mobility – indicating that nations are forming additional travel agreements to benefit their citizens and their economies. As per a 2025 report, the worldwide mean number of destinations travellers are able to access without visas has almost doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to 109 in 2025.

For example, China has expanded its count of visa-free countries its citizens can travel to from 50 to 82 over the last ten years. Consequently, its rank in the ranking has enhanced from 94th to 60th during the same time period.

In comparison, The Indian passport – previously positioned at seventy-seventh place during summer – fell to eighty-fifth place in October following the loss of two nations.

Other Influences Affecting Passport Strength

A former Indian ambassador notes there are other factors that affect the strength of a country's passport, including its economic and political stability as well as its receptiveness to welcoming citizens from abroad.

For example, the US passport has fallen of the top 10 currently holding the 12th position – a historic low – because of its increasingly insular stance in global affairs.

The former ambassador recalls how in the 1970s, Indians enjoyed visa-free travel to numerous European and Western nations, 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.

"Many countries are growing more cautious of immigrants," he stated. "The country possesses a large quantity of citizens emigrating overseas or overstaying their visas affecting the national image."

Factors like the security level a country's passport is and its immigration procedures also contribute to obtaining visa-free access to foreign nations.

Enhanced Security Measures

India's passport faces ongoing security risks. Last year, authorities arrested over two hundred individuals for alleged visa and passport fraud. India is also known for complex immigration processes with lengthy timelines of visa processing.

The diplomat indicated that technological advances, like India's recently-launched electronic passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and ease the immigration process. The e-passport contains a small chip that stores biometric information, increasing difficulty to forge or tamper with the passport.

But, increased diplomatic efforts and travel agreements remain key for enhancing the global mobility for Indian citizens and, by extension, India's passport ranking.