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

He mentioned that while neighbouring countries like Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming to Indian tourists, securing travel permits for visiting most Western and European countries remained a challenge.

Such concerns with the limited global access of Indian passports was reflected in the latest global passport ranking, ranking India at position eighty-five among 199 countries, five spots lower compared to the previous year.

Officials in India have not issued a statement regarding these findings yet.

Countries including Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size compared to India – a nation that is the fifth-largest economy globally – are ranked higher on the index at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, respectively.

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 such as Singapore, Japan and South Korea, all maintaining leading ranks.

Global Passport Power Indicates

The power of a passport indicates a country's global influence and international standing. This leads to better mobility for passport holders, improving commercial and learning opportunities. Limited passport power results in more paperwork, higher visa costs, reduced travel benefits and longer waiting times when journeying.

But despite the drop in position, the count of nations offering visa-free access to Indians has actually increased over the last ten years.

For example, in 2014 – 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 in the ranking.

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, visa-free destinations for Indians increased from fifty-two eight years ago to 60 in 2023 and sixty-two this year.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

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

Experts say that a major reason involves growing competition in global mobility – indicating that nations are entering into more travel partnerships to benefit their citizens and economic growth. As per a 2025 report, the worldwide mean count of countries travellers are able to access without visas has almost doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to 109 in 2025.

As an illustration, China has expanded its count of visa-free destinations its citizens can travel to from 50 to 82 over the last ten years. As a result, its rank in the ranking has improved from ninety-fourth to sixtieth in that same duration.

Meanwhile, India – previously positioned at seventy-seventh place in July – fell to eighty-fifth place in October following the loss to two countries.

Additional Factors Impacting Passport Power

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

For instance, the American passport has dropped out from the top ten and now occupies the 12th position – a historic low – due to its more inward-looking approach in global affairs.

The diplomat mentioned that during the seventies, Indian citizens had visa-free access to many Western and European countries, but that changed after the Khalistan 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 citizens emigrating overseas or overstaying their visas affecting the national image."

Factors such as how secure a country's passport is and immigration processes also play a role in gaining visa-free entry to foreign nations.

Security and Technological Improvements

The Indian passport faces ongoing security threats. In 2024, law enforcement arrested 203 people for alleged passport and visa irregularities. The country also has complex immigration processes with lengthy timelines for visa approvals.

The former ambassador indicated that new technologies, such as the newly introduced digital passport or e-passport, can improve security and ease the immigration process. This electronic document contains a microchip that stores biometric information, making it harder to counterfeit or alter the document.

However, increased diplomatic efforts and travel agreements continue essential for enhancing the global mobility of Indians and consequently, the Indian passport's global position.