Why India's Indian Passport Is Falling in Worldwide Standing

Earlier this year, an online clip by an Indian travel influencer complaining about India's weak passport went viral across digital platforms.

The influencer stated although nearby nations such as Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming of travelers from India, obtaining visas for visiting many nations in Europe and the West continued to be difficult.

Such concerns with India's poor passport strength found confirmation in recent global passport ranking, which placed India at position eighty-five out of 199 countries, five spots lower compared to the previous year.

The Indian government has not commented regarding these findings yet.

Nations including Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies than India – which is the world's fifth biggest economy – hold better positions in the ranking in the seventies range, in that order.

In fact, India's rank in the past decade has remained in the 80s, even dipping to ninetieth place in 2021. These rankings are dismal when measured against other Asian countries such as Japan, South Korea and Singapore, 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, improving commercial and learning opportunities. A weak passport results in more paperwork, increased visa expenses, fewer travel privileges and extended processing periods when journeying.

But despite the drop in position, the number of countries offering visa-free access to Indians has actually increased in the past decade or so.

For example, eight years ago – the year the current administration's ruling party assumed office – fifty-two nations offered visa-free travel to Indians and its passport at seventy-sixth position on the index.

A year later, it fell to eighty-fifth place, then rose to 80th in 2023 and 2024, declining once more to the 85th position this year. Meanwhile, countries allowing visa-free travel to Indian citizens increased from fifty-two eight years ago to sixty last year and 62 in 2024.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The count of nations allowing visa-free entry this year (fifty-seven) exceeds the number in 2015 (fifty-two), but India's rank for both these years is 85. What explains this situation?

Experts say that a primary factor involves growing competition in global mobility – indicating that nations are entering into additional travel agreements for their populations' advantage and economic growth. As per a 2025 report, the global average count of countries travellers are able to access visa-free has almost doubled from 58 in 2006 to 109 in 2025.

As an illustration, China has expanded its count of visa-free destinations its citizens can travel to from fifty to eighty-two over the last ten years. As a result, its position on the index has enhanced from ninety-fourth to sixtieth during the same time period.

In comparison, India – previously positioned 77th on the index during summer – fell to eighty-fifth place this autumn after losing access to two countries.

Other Influences Affecting Passport Strength

A former Indian ambassador notes multiple elements that affect a nation's passport power, like economic and political conditions plus its openness to accepting travelers from other countries.

For instance, the American passport has fallen from the top ten and now occupies twelfth place – a historic low – because of its more inward-looking approach in world politics.

The diplomat mentioned how in the 1970s, Indians enjoyed visa-free travel to many Western and European countries, though this shifted after the Khalistan movement during the eighties. Subsequent political upheavals have continued to damage at India's image as a stable, democratic country.

"Numerous nations are also becoming more cautious regarding migrants," he stated. "The country possesses a large quantity of citizens emigrating to other countries or remaining beyond visa limits and that interferes with the national image."

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

Enhanced Security Measures

India's passport faces ongoing security threats. In 2024, authorities arrested over two hundred individuals for suspected passport and visa irregularities. India is also known for complex immigration processes with lengthy timelines of visa processing.

The diplomat indicated that new technologies, such as the newly introduced digital passport or e-passport, can improve security and ease the immigration process. The e-passport includes a small chip holding biometric data, making it harder to forge or tamper with the passport.

But, increased diplomatic efforts and travel agreements remain key to boosting the global mobility of Indians and, by extension, the Indian passport's global position.