The Reasons Behind the National Passport Is Falling in Worldwide Standing

In recent months, a video from a popular travel content creator complaining about India's weak passport went viral across digital platforms.

The influencer stated that while nearby nations such as Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming of Indian tourists, obtaining visas for visiting most Western and European countries continued to be difficult.

This dissatisfaction regarding the limited global access of Indian passports found confirmation in the latest global passport ranking, which placed the country in the 85th spot out of 199 countries, five spots lower than last year.

Officials in India has not commented on the report yet.

Nations including Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size compared to India – which is the world's fifth biggest economy – are ranked higher on the index in the seventies range, respectively.

Actually, India's rank in the past decade has remained around the eighties, falling to ninetieth place two years ago. Such standings are dismal when measured against other Asian countries like Japan, South Korea and Singapore, which have consistently held top positions.

Global Passport Power Measures

Passport strength indicates a country's global influence and global influence. This leads to enhanced travel freedom for its citizens, boosting business and learning opportunities. Limited passport power results in more paperwork, increased visa expenses, fewer travel privileges and extended processing periods when journeying.

But despite the decline in the rank, the number of countries providing visa-free travel for Indian citizens has actually increased in the past decade or so.

As an instance, eight years ago – when Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed office – 52 countries provided visa-free travel for Indian passport holders and its passport at seventy-sixth position on the index.

A year later, it tumbled to the 85th position, then rose to 80th over the past two years, declining once more to the eighty-fifth spot this year. Meanwhile, visa-free destinations to Indian citizens grew from fifty-two eight years ago to sixty last year and sixty-two this year.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The number of nations allowing visa-free entry this year (fifty-seven) exceeds the number in 2015 (52), but the country's position during both periods is 85. What explains this situation?

Experts say that a major reason involves growing competition in global mobility – meaning countries are forming more travel partnerships for their populations' advantage and economic growth. As per recent analysis, the global average number of destinations people can visit visa-free has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to 109 in 2025.

As an illustration, The Chinese passport has expanded its count of visa-free countries available to its citizens from 50 to 82 over the last ten years. Consequently, its position on the index has improved from ninety-fourth to sixtieth during the same time period.

In comparison, India – previously positioned at seventy-seventh place in July – fell to the 85th position in October after losing access to two countries.

Additional Factors Affecting Passport Strength

A former Indian ambassador notes multiple elements influencing the strength of a country's passport, including its economic and political stability plus its openness to welcoming citizens from other countries.

For instance, the American passport has dropped out of the top 10 currently holding the 12th position – its lowest ever – because of its increasingly insular stance in global affairs.

The former ambassador recalls that during the seventies, Indian citizens had visa-free travel to numerous European and Western nations, though this shifted after the Khalistan movement during the eighties. Subsequent political upheavals have continued to damage the country's reputation as a stable democracy.

"Numerous nations are growing more cautious of immigrants," he stated. "India has a high number of citizens emigrating overseas or overstaying their visas and that interferes with the country's reputation."

Factors like how secure of a national passport and immigration processes also contribute in gaining visa-free entry to other countries.

Security and Technological Improvements

India's passport remains vulnerable to security risks. In 2024, law enforcement arrested over two hundred individuals for alleged visa and passport fraud. The country also has complex immigration processes with lengthy timelines for visa approvals.

The diplomat says that new technologies, such as the newly introduced digital passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and streamline immigration. The e-passport contains a microchip that stores biometric information, making it harder to counterfeit or alter the document.

But, more diplomatic outreach and travel partnerships remain key to boosting the global mobility for Indian citizens and, by extension, India's passport ranking.