🔗 Share this article

Earlier this year, an online clip by an Indian travel influencer complaining about India's weak passport went viral on social media.

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

This dissatisfaction regarding India's poor passport strength was reflected in the latest global passport ranking, which placed the country at position eighty-five out of nearly two hundred nations, five spots lower compared to the previous year.

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

Nations including Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies than India – a nation that is the world's fifth biggest economy – are ranked higher on the index in the seventies range, in that order.

In fact, India's rank in the past decade has remained in the 80s, falling to ninetieth place two years ago. These rankings are dismal compared to other Asian countries like Singapore, Japan and South Korea, all maintaining top positions.

What Passport Strength Indicates

Passport strength reflects a nation's soft power and international standing. This leads to enhanced travel freedom for passport holders, boosting business and educational prospects. A weak passport results in additional documentation, increased visa expenses, reduced travel benefits and extended processing periods for travel.

However, even with the drop in position, the number of countries providing visa-free travel to Indians has grown in the past decade or so.

As an instance, eight years ago – the year the current administration's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed office – fifty-two nations offered visa-free travel for Indian passport holders with the passport at seventy-sixth position on the index.

A year later, it fell to eighty-fifth place, then improved to 80th in 2023 and 2024, declining once more to the eighty-fifth spot currently. Meanwhile, countries allowing visa-free travel to Indian citizens grew from 52 in 2015 to 60 in 2023 and 62 in 2024.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The number of visa-free destinations this year (57) is higher than the number in 2015 (fifty-two), yet the country's position during both periods is 85. So, why is that?

Experts say that a major reason involves growing competition in international travel – indicating that countries are forming additional travel agreements for their populations' advantage and economic growth. According to a 2025 report, the worldwide mean number of destinations people can visit visa-free has almost doubled from 58 in 2006 to 109 in 2025.

For example, China has expanded its count of visa-free countries its citizens can travel to from fifty to eighty-two over the last ten years. Consequently, its position in the ranking has enhanced from 94th to 60th in that same duration.

Meanwhile, India – which was ranked 77th on the index during summer – fell to eighty-fifth place this autumn after losing access of two nations.

Other Influences Affecting Passport Strength

An ex-diplomat from India notes there are other factors influencing the strength of a country's passport, like economic and political conditions as well as its openness to welcoming citizens from other countries.

For example, the US passport has dropped out of the top 10 currently holding twelfth place – a historic low – because of its more inward-looking approach in global affairs.

The former ambassador mentioned how in the 1970s, Indians enjoyed visa-free travel to numerous European and Western nations, though this shifted following Khalistan movement during the eighties. Later political disturbances have continued to damage the country's reputation as a stable, democratic country.

"Numerous nations are also becoming more cautious regarding migrants," the diplomat added. "India has a large quantity of citizens emigrating to other countries or remaining beyond visa limits affecting the country's reputation."

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

Enhanced Security Measures

India's passport faces ongoing security threats. In 2024, authorities arrested over two hundred individuals for alleged visa and passport fraud. The country also has cumbersome immigration procedures with lengthy timelines of visa processing.

The diplomat says that technological advances, such as the newly introduced electronic passport or e-passport, can improve security and streamline immigration. The e-passport includes a small chip that stores biometric data, increasing difficulty to forge or tamper with the document.

But, increased diplomatic efforts and travel partnerships continue essential for enhancing international travel freedom of Indians and consequently, India's passport ranking.