🔗 Share this article

Earlier this year, an online clip from a popular travel content creator complaining about the limited power of the Indian passport went viral on social media.

He mentioned that while nearby nations such as Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming to Indian tourists, securing travel permits to travel to many nations in Europe and the West remained a challenge.

This dissatisfaction with the limited global access of Indian passports was reflected in recent global passport ranking, ranking the country at position eighty-five out of nearly two hundred nations, five spots lower than last year.

Officials in India has not commented on the report so far.

Countries like Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies compared to India – which is the world's fifth biggest economy – are ranked higher on the index in the seventies range, respectively.

In fact, the country's position over the last ten years has hovered in the 80s, even dipping to ninetieth place two years ago. Such standings appear poor compared to Asian nations such as Singapore, Japan and South Korea, which have consistently held top positions.

What Passport Strength Measures

The power of a passport reflects a nation's soft power and international standing. This leads to better mobility for its citizens, boosting business and learning opportunities. A weak passport means additional documentation, increased visa expenses, reduced travel benefits and extended processing periods when journeying.

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, eight years ago – the year Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed office – 52 countries provided visa-free travel for Indian passport holders and its passport at seventy-sixth position on the index.

A year later, it tumbled to eighty-fifth place, then rose to 80th over the past two years, dropping again to the eighty-fifth spot currently. At the same time, countries allowing visa-free travel to Indian citizens grew from 52 in 2015 to 60 in 2023 and sixty-two this year.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The number of visa-free destinations this year (57) is higher than what it was eight years ago (fifty-two), yet India's rank for both these years is 85. So, why is that?

Experts say that a primary factor involves growing competition in global mobility – indicating that countries are entering into more travel partnerships for their populations' advantage and their economies. As per a 2025 report, the worldwide mean count of countries people can visit visa-free has almost doubled from 58 in 2006 to one hundred nine currently.

For example, China has expanded its count of visa-free countries available to its citizens from 50 to 82 over the last ten years. As a result, its position on the index has enhanced from 94th to 60th in that same duration.

In comparison, The Indian passport – previously positioned 77th on the index in July – dropped to the 85th position in October after losing access to two countries.

Other Influences Impacting Passport Power

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

For example, the US passport has dropped out of the top 10 and now occupies the 12th position – its lowest ever – because of its increasingly insular stance in global affairs.

The diplomat mentioned that during the seventies, Indians enjoyed visa-free travel to many Western and European countries, but that changed after the Khalistan movement during the eighties. Later political disturbances have further chipped away the country's reputation as a stable, democratic country.

"Many countries are also becoming increasingly wary regarding migrants," he stated. "India has a high number of people migrating overseas or overstaying their visas affecting the national image."

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

Security and Technological Improvements

India's passport faces ongoing security risks. In 2024, law enforcement detained 203 people for suspected visa and passport fraud. The country also has complex immigration processes and a slow pace of visa processing.

The former ambassador says that technological advances, such as the newly introduced digital passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and streamline immigration. The e-passport includes a microchip holding biometric data, increasing difficulty to counterfeit or alter the document.

But, increased diplomatic efforts and travel partnerships continue essential for enhancing international travel freedom of Indians and consequently, the Indian passport's global position.