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In recent months, a video from a popular travel content creator complaining about the limited power of the Indian passport went viral across digital platforms.

The influencer stated although nearby nations like Sri Lanka and Bhutan were more welcoming of travelers from India, obtaining visas to travel to most Western and European countries continued to be difficult.

Such concerns with India's poor passport strength found confirmation in the latest global passport ranking, ranking India in the 85th spot out of 199 countries, five spots lower than last year.

The Indian government has not commented on the report so far.

Nations like Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size than India – which is the fifth-largest economy globally – hold better positions on the index at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, respectively.

Actually, the country's position over the last ten years has remained in the 80s, falling to ninetieth place in 2021. Such standings appear poor when measured against other Asian countries like 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 global influence. This leads to enhanced travel freedom for its citizens, boosting business and learning opportunities. Limited passport power means additional documentation, increased visa expenses, fewer travel privileges and extended processing periods for travel.

However, even with the drop in position, the count of nations offering visa-free access for Indian citizens has grown in the past decade or so.

As an instance, eight years ago – the year Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling party came to power – fifty-two nations provided visa-free travel for Indian passport holders and its passport at seventy-sixth position on the index.

A year later, it fell to the 85th position, then rose to eightieth over the past two years, dropping again to the eighty-fifth spot currently. Meanwhile, countries allowing visa-free travel to Indian citizens increased from fifty-two eight years ago to sixty last year and 62 in 2024.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The number of visa-free destinations in 2025 (57) exceeds what it was in 2015 (fifty-two), yet India's rank during both periods remains at eighty-fifth. So, why is that?

Experts say that a primary factor involves growing competition in international travel – indicating that countries are entering into more travel partnerships for their populations' advantage and economic growth. According to recent analysis, the global average count of countries people can visit visa-free has almost doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to 109 in 2025.

For example, The Chinese passport has increased its count of visa-free destinations available to its citizens from fifty to eighty-two over the last ten years. As a result, its rank in the ranking has enhanced from 94th to 60th in that same duration.

Meanwhile, India – which was ranked at seventy-seventh place in July – fell to the 85th position in October following the loss of two nations.

Other Influences Affecting Passport Strength

A former Indian ambassador says multiple elements that affect a nation's passport power, like its economic and political stability as well as its openness to welcoming citizens from other countries.

For instance, the US passport has fallen of the top 10 currently holding twelfth place – a historic low – due to its increasingly insular stance in global affairs.

The diplomat recalls how in the 1970s, Indians enjoyed visa-free travel to many Western and European countries, but that changed 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 regarding migrants," he stated. "India has a large quantity of people migrating overseas or remaining beyond visa limits affecting the national image."

Factors like how secure a country's passport is and immigration processes also contribute to obtaining visa-free entry to foreign nations.

Security and Technological Improvements

India's passport remains vulnerable to security threats. Last year, authorities arrested 203 people for suspected passport and visa irregularities. India is also known for complex immigration processes with lengthy timelines for visa approvals.

The diplomat says that technological advances, such as the newly introduced digital passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and ease the immigration process. This electronic document includes a small chip holding biometric data, increasing difficulty to forge or tamper with the document.

However, increased diplomatic efforts and travel partnerships continue essential to boosting international travel freedom for Indian citizens and, by extension, the Indian passport's global position.