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In recent months, a video by an Indian travel influencer complaining about the limited power of the Indian passport went viral across digital platforms.

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

Such concerns regarding the limited global access of Indian passports was reflected in recent global passport ranking, ranking the country in the 85th spot among 199 countries, a decline of five positions compared to the previous year.

Officials in India has not commented regarding these findings yet.

Nations including Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size than India – a nation that is the world's fifth biggest economy – hold better positions on the index at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, in that order.

In fact, India's rank over the last ten years has remained in the 80s, falling to ninetieth place in 2021. Such standings appear poor compared to Asian nations like Japan, South Korea and Singapore, all maintaining top positions.

Global Passport Power Indicates

The power of a passport reflects a country's global influence and international standing. This leads to better mobility for passport holders, boosting business and educational prospects. A weak passport means more paperwork, increased visa expenses, 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 actually increased over the last ten years.

As an instance, eight years ago – when the current administration's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power – 52 countries offered visa-free travel for Indian passport holders with the passport ranked 76th 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 85th position currently. Meanwhile, visa-free destinations to Indian citizens increased from 52 in 2015 to sixty last year and sixty-two this year.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The number of nations allowing visa-free entry this year (57) exceeds what it was eight years ago (52), but the country's position during both periods remains at eighty-fifth. So, why is that?

Analysts note that a major reason involves growing competition in international travel – meaning countries are entering into more travel partnerships for their populations' advantage and their economies. As per a 2025 report, the global average count of countries travellers are able to access visa-free has nearly doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to one hundred nine currently.

For example, The Chinese passport has expanded the number of visa-free countries available to its citizens from fifty to eighty-two in the past decade. As a result, its rank on the index has improved from 94th to 60th during the same time period.

In comparison, India – which was ranked 77th on the index in July – dropped to eighty-fifth place in October following the loss of two nations.

Additional Factors Impacting Passport Power

A former Indian ambassador says there are other factors that affect the strength of a country's passport, like its economic and political stability plus its openness to welcoming citizens from other countries.

For example, the US passport has fallen from the top ten currently holding the 12th position – its lowest ever – due to its more inward-looking approach in global affairs.

The former ambassador mentioned that during the seventies, Indian citizens had 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 at India's image as a stable democracy.

"Many countries are also becoming increasingly wary regarding migrants," the diplomat added. "India has a high number of citizens emigrating overseas or remaining beyond visa limits affecting the country's reputation."

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

Security and Technological Improvements

The Indian passport faces ongoing security threats. Last year, law enforcement arrested 203 people for alleged passport and visa irregularities. India is also known for complex immigration processes with lengthy timelines of visa processing.

The former ambassador indicated that new technologies, such as the newly introduced electronic passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and streamline immigration. The e-passport includes a small chip holding biometric information, increasing difficulty to forge or tamper with the document.

However, more diplomatic outreach and travel agreements continue essential for enhancing international travel freedom for Indian citizens and consequently, the Indian passport's global position.