Why India's National Passport Is Falling in Global Ranking

In recent months, an online clip by an Indian travel influencer expressing frustration over India's weak passport went viral on social media.

He mentioned although neighbouring countries such as Sri Lanka and Bhutan were more welcoming of Indian tourists, obtaining visas for visiting most Western and European countries remained a challenge.

Such concerns regarding the limited global access of Indian passports was reflected in the latest global passport ranking, which placed India at position eighty-five among 199 countries, a decline of five positions than last year.

The Indian government has not commented on the report so far.

Countries like Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies compared to India – a nation that is the world's fifth biggest economy – are ranked higher on the index in the seventies range, respectively.

In fact, India's rank over the last ten years has remained around the eighties, even dipping to the 90th spot two years ago. These rankings are dismal compared to Asian nations such as Japan, South Korea and Singapore, all maintaining top positions.

What Passport Strength Measures

Passport strength reflects a nation's soft power and global influence. It also translates into enhanced travel freedom for its citizens, improving commercial and learning opportunities. Limited passport power means more paperwork, increased visa expenses, fewer travel privileges and longer waiting times for travel.

However, even with the decline in the rank, the number of countries offering visa-free access for Indian citizens has actually increased in the past decade or so.

As an instance, eight years ago – the year the current administration's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed office – 52 countries offered visa-free travel to Indians and its passport at seventy-sixth position on the index.

The following year, it fell to eighty-fifth place, then improved to 80th over the past two years, dropping again to the 85th position this year. Meanwhile, visa-free destinations to Indian citizens increased from fifty-two eight years ago to 60 in 2023 and sixty-two this year.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The count of visa-free destinations this year (57) exceeds the number in 2015 (fifty-two), yet the country's position during both periods is 85. What explains this situation?

Experts say that a major reason is the increasingly competitive landscape in international travel – indicating that nations are forming additional travel agreements for their populations' advantage and their economies. As per recent analysis, 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.

For example, China has expanded the number of visa-free destinations available to its citizens from 50 to 82 over the last ten years. Consequently, its rank in the ranking has improved from ninety-fourth to sixtieth in that same duration.

In comparison, India – which was ranked 77th on the index during summer – dropped to eighty-fifth place in October after losing access of two nations.

Other Influences Impacting Passport Power

An ex-diplomat from India notes multiple elements that affect a nation's passport power, like its economic and political stability plus its openness to accepting travelers from other countries.

For instance, the US passport has dropped out from the top ten currently holding twelfth place – a historic low – due to its increasingly insular stance in world politics.

The diplomat mentioned that during the seventies, Indians enjoyed visa-free access to many Western and European countries, though this shifted following Khalistan movement during the eighties. Subsequent political upheavals have further chipped away the country's reputation as a stable, democratic country.

"Many countries are growing more cautious regarding migrants," he stated. "The country possesses a large quantity of people migrating overseas or overstaying their visas affecting the country's reputation."

Elements like how secure of a national passport and immigration processes also play a role to obtaining visa-free access to other countries.

Enhanced Security Measures

India's passport remains vulnerable to security risks. Last year, authorities detained 203 people for suspected passport and visa irregularities. India is also known for complex immigration processes and a slow pace of visa processing.

The former ambassador indicated that technological advances, such as the newly introduced electronic passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and ease the immigration process. The e-passport includes a microchip that stores biometric data, increasing difficulty to forge or tamper with the passport.

However, increased diplomatic efforts and travel agreements continue essential for enhancing international travel freedom for Indian citizens and consequently, India's passport ranking.