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In recent months, an online clip by a popular travel content creator expressing frustration over the limited power of the Indian passport went viral on social media.

He mentioned that while nearby nations like Sri Lanka and Bhutan offered easier access of Indian tourists, obtaining visas for visiting most Western and European countries continued to be difficult.

This dissatisfaction with India's poor passport strength was reflected in the latest global passport ranking, ranking India in the 85th spot out of nearly two hundred nations, a decline of five positions compared to the previous year.

Officials in India has not commented regarding these findings so far.

Countries including Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies than India – which is the world's fifth biggest economy – are ranked higher in the ranking in the seventies range, in that order.

In fact, India's rank in the past decade has hovered around the eighties, falling to ninetieth place two years ago. Such standings are dismal when measured against other Asian countries like Singapore, Japan and South Korea, all maintaining top positions.

What Passport Strength Indicates

Passport strength indicates a country's global influence and global influence. This leads to better mobility for its citizens, boosting business and educational prospects. Limited passport power means additional documentation, higher visa costs, fewer travel privileges and longer waiting times when journeying.

But despite the drop in position, the number of countries providing visa-free travel for Indian citizens has actually increased over the last ten years.

As an instance, eight years ago – the year Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling party assumed office – fifty-two nations provided visa-free access for Indian passport holders and its passport at seventy-sixth position in the ranking.

The following year, it tumbled to eighty-fifth place, then rose to 80th in 2023 and 2024, declining once more to the 85th position this year. At the same time, visa-free destinations to Indian citizens increased from fifty-two eight years ago to sixty last year and sixty-two this year.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The count of nations allowing visa-free entry this year (fifty-seven) exceeds what it was in 2015 (52), yet the country's position during both periods remains at eighty-fifth. So, why is that?

Analysts note that a major reason is the increasingly competitive landscape in international travel – meaning nations are forming additional travel agreements for their populations' advantage and economic growth. According to recent analysis, the global average number of destinations people can visit without visas has nearly doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to one hundred nine currently.

As an illustration, China has expanded its count of visa-free countries available to its citizens from fifty to eighty-two over the last ten years. As a result, its rank on the index has enhanced from ninety-fourth to sixtieth in that same duration.

Meanwhile, The Indian passport – previously positioned 77th on the index in July – dropped to eighty-fifth place in October following the loss of two nations.

Additional Factors Affecting Passport Strength

An ex-diplomat from India says there are other factors influencing a nation's passport power, including its economic and political stability as well as its receptiveness to accepting travelers from other countries.

For instance, the US passport has fallen from the top ten and now occupies the 12th position – its lowest ever – due to its increasingly insular stance in global affairs.

The diplomat mentioned how in the 1970s, Indian citizens had visa-free access to numerous European and Western nations, but that changed following Sikh separatist movement in the 1980s. Later political disturbances have further chipped away at India's image as a stable, democratic country.

"Numerous nations are growing more cautious of immigrants," he stated. "The country possesses a large quantity of people migrating overseas or remaining beyond visa limits affecting the national image."

Elements 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

The Indian passport faces ongoing security risks. In 2024, authorities detained over two hundred individuals for suspected visa and passport fraud. The country also has cumbersome immigration procedures and a slow pace of visa processing.

The former ambassador indicated that technological advances, such as the newly introduced electronic passport or e-passport, can improve security and ease the immigration process. The e-passport contains a small chip holding biometric data, making it harder to counterfeit or alter the passport.

However, more diplomatic outreach and travel partnerships remain key for enhancing the global mobility for Indian citizens and consequently, India's passport ranking.