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In recent months, a video from an Indian travel influencer complaining about India's weak passport gained massive traction on social media.

He mentioned although neighbouring countries such as Sri Lanka and Bhutan offered easier access to Indian tourists, obtaining visas to travel to many nations in Europe and the West remained a challenge.

This dissatisfaction with the limited global access of Indian passports found confirmation in the latest global passport ranking, ranking India at position eighty-five among nearly two hundred nations, five spots lower than last year.

The Indian government has not commented regarding these findings so far.

Nations like 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 in the seventies range, respectively.

In fact, the country's position in the past decade has remained in the 80s, falling to ninetieth place in 2021. These rankings are dismal when measured against other Asian countries like Singapore, Japan and South Korea, which have consistently held leading ranks.

Global Passport Power Measures

The power of a passport reflects a country's global influence and global influence. It also translates into better mobility for its citizens, boosting business and learning opportunities. Limited passport power means more paperwork, increased visa expenses, fewer travel privileges and extended processing periods when journeying.

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

As an instance, in 2014 – when Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling party assumed office – 52 countries offered visa-free access to Indians and its passport at seventy-sixth position on the index.

The following year, it fell to the 85th position, then rose to eightieth in 2023 and 2024, dropping again to the eighty-fifth spot this year. Meanwhile, visa-free destinations for Indians increased from 52 in 2015 to sixty last year and 62 in 2024.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The number of visa-free destinations this year (fifty-seven) is higher than what it was eight years ago (fifty-two), yet the country's position during both periods remains at eighty-fifth. What explains this situation?

Experts say that a major reason involves growing competition in international travel – meaning nations are entering into more travel partnerships for their populations' advantage and economic growth. According to recent analysis, the global average count of countries travellers are able to access without visas has almost doubled from 58 in 2006 to one hundred nine currently.

As an illustration, China has expanded the number of visa-free destinations available to its citizens from 50 to 82 in the past decade. Consequently, its position in the ranking has enhanced from ninety-fourth to sixtieth in that same duration.

In comparison, India – previously positioned at seventy-seventh place during summer – dropped to the 85th position this autumn after losing access of two nations.

Other Influences Impacting Passport Power

An ex-diplomat from India says multiple elements influencing a nation's passport power, like economic and political conditions as well as its receptiveness to welcoming citizens from other countries.

For example, the US passport has dropped out of the top 10 and now occupies twelfth place – its lowest ever – because of its more inward-looking approach in global affairs.

The diplomat recalls that during the seventies, Indians enjoyed visa-free travel to many Western and European countries, but that changed after the Khalistan movement during the eighties. 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. "India has a large quantity of people migrating overseas or remaining beyond visa limits and that interferes with the national image."

Elements such as the security level of a national passport and its immigration procedures also contribute to obtaining visa-free access to other countries.

Security and Technological Improvements

The Indian passport faces ongoing security risks. In 2024, authorities detained 203 people for suspected passport and visa irregularities. The country also has cumbersome immigration procedures and a slow pace of visa processing.

The diplomat indicated that technological advances, such as the newly introduced digital passport or e-passport, can improve security and ease the immigration process. The e-passport contains a small chip that stores biometric information, increasing difficulty to counterfeit or alter the document.

But, increased diplomatic efforts and travel agreements continue essential for enhancing international travel freedom of Indians and, by extension, the Indian passport's global position.