🔗 Share this article

In recent months, an online clip from an Indian travel influencer expressing frustration over the limited power of the Indian passport went viral on social media.

The influencer stated that while neighbouring countries like Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming of Indian tourists, obtaining visas to travel to many nations in Europe and the West remained a challenge.

Such concerns with the limited global access of Indian passports was reflected in the latest global passport ranking, which placed the country in the 85th spot out of nearly two hundred nations, five spots lower than last year.

The Indian government have not issued a statement on the report yet.

Nations including Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size than India – a nation that is the world's fifth biggest economy – are ranked higher in the ranking at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, in that order.

Actually, the country's position in the past decade has hovered around the eighties, falling to the 90th spot in 2021. Such standings appear poor when measured against other Asian countries such as Singapore, Japan and South Korea, which have consistently held top positions.

Global Passport Power Measures

The power of a passport 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 means more paperwork, higher visa costs, reduced travel benefits and extended processing periods when journeying.

However, even with the decline in the rank, the count of nations offering visa-free access to Indians has grown over the last ten years.

For example, in 2014 – when Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed office – 52 countries offered visa-free access to Indians and its passport at seventy-sixth position on the index.

A year later, it fell to the 85th position, then improved to 80th in 2023 and 2024, dropping again to the 85th position this year. Meanwhile, visa-free destinations for Indians increased from 52 in 2015 to sixty last year and 62 in 2024.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The number of visa-free destinations in 2025 (fifty-seven) exceeds the number in 2015 (52), but India's rank during both periods remains at eighty-fifth. So, why is that?

Analysts note that a primary factor is the increasingly competitive landscape in international travel – indicating that nations are forming more travel partnerships for their populations' advantage and their economies. As per recent analysis, the worldwide mean count of countries travellers are able to access visa-free has almost doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to one hundred nine currently.

For example, China has expanded its count of visa-free destinations its citizens can travel to from fifty to eighty-two over the last ten years. Consequently, its rank in the ranking has improved from 94th to 60th during the same time period.

In comparison, India – which was ranked 77th on the index during summer – fell to the 85th position in October after losing access to two countries.

Additional Factors Impacting Passport Power

An ex-diplomat from India says 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 American passport has dropped out 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 how in the 1970s, Indian citizens had visa-free travel to numerous European and Western nations, though this shifted following Sikh separatist movement during the eighties. Later political disturbances have further chipped away the country's reputation as a stable, democratic country.

"Many countries are growing increasingly wary regarding migrants," the diplomat added. "The country possesses a large quantity of people migrating to other countries or overstaying their visas and that interferes with the national image."

Factors like the security level of a national passport and its immigration procedures also contribute in gaining visa-free entry to foreign nations.

Enhanced Security Measures

India's passport remains vulnerable to security risks. Last year, authorities arrested over two hundred individuals for suspected passport and visa irregularities. The country also has complex immigration processes and a slow pace of visa processing.

The diplomat says that new technologies, such as the newly introduced electronic passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and streamline immigration. This electronic document includes a small chip holding biometric data, increasing difficulty to counterfeit or alter the passport.

But, more diplomatic outreach and travel partnerships remain key for enhancing international travel freedom of Indians and consequently, India's passport ranking.