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In recent months, a video by an Indian travel influencer complaining about India's weak passport gained massive traction across digital platforms.

The influencer stated that while nearby nations such as Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming of travelers from India, obtaining visas to travel to many nations in Europe and the West remained a challenge.

Such concerns with India's poor passport strength was reflected in the latest global passport ranking, which placed the country at position eighty-five among nearly two hundred nations, five spots lower compared to the previous year.

The Indian government have not issued a statement regarding these findings so far.

Nations like Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies compared to India – a nation that is the world's fifth biggest economy – hold better positions on the index in the seventies range, in that order.

Actually, the country's position over the last ten years has remained around the eighties, falling to the 90th spot in 2021. Such standings appear poor compared to other Asian countries such as Japan, South Korea and Singapore, which have consistently held top positions.

Global Passport Power Indicates

The power of a passport indicates a country's global influence and international standing. It also translates into enhanced travel freedom for passport holders, improving commercial and educational prospects. Limited passport power results in more paperwork, higher visa costs, fewer travel privileges and extended processing periods for travel.

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

For example, in 2014 – when the current administration's ruling party came to power – fifty-two nations provided visa-free travel to Indians 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, declining once more to the eighty-fifth spot currently. At the same time, countries allowing visa-free travel to Indian citizens grew from fifty-two eight years ago to 60 in 2023 and sixty-two this year.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The count of nations allowing visa-free entry in 2025 (57) exceeds the number in 2015 (52), yet the country's position during both periods remains at eighty-fifth. So, why is that?

Experts say that a major reason is the increasingly competitive landscape in international travel – indicating that countries are entering into more travel partnerships to benefit their citizens and their economies. As per recent analysis, the worldwide mean count of countries travellers are able to access visa-free has almost doubled from 58 in 2006 to one hundred nine currently.

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

Meanwhile, India – previously positioned 77th on the index in July – dropped to the 85th position this autumn following the loss to two countries.

Additional Factors Affecting Passport Strength

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

For example, the US passport has fallen from the top ten and now occupies the 12th position – its lowest ever – due to its more inward-looking approach in world politics.

The former ambassador recalls that during the seventies, Indians enjoyed visa-free travel to numerous European and Western nations, but that changed following Sikh separatist movement in the 1980s. Subsequent political upheavals have further chipped away the country's reputation as a stable, democratic country.

"Numerous nations are also becoming more cautious of immigrants," the diplomat added. "India has a high number of citizens emigrating overseas or overstaying their visas and that interferes with the country's reputation."

Factors like how secure of a national passport and immigration processes also play a role to obtaining visa-free entry to foreign nations.

Enhanced Security Measures

The Indian passport remains vulnerable to security risks. Last year, law enforcement detained over two hundred individuals for suspected passport and visa irregularities. India is also known for complex immigration processes with lengthy timelines for visa approvals.

The diplomat indicated 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 information, making it harder to counterfeit or alter the passport.

However, more diplomatic outreach and travel agreements continue essential for enhancing the global mobility of Indians and, by extension, the Indian passport's global position.