The Reasons Behind India's Indian Passport Continues to Drop in Global Ranking

In recent months, an online clip from an Indian travel influencer expressing frustration over the limited power of the Indian passport went viral across digital platforms.

The influencer stated that while neighbouring countries like Sri Lanka and Bhutan offered easier access to travelers from India, obtaining visas to travel to most Western and European countries remained a challenge.

This dissatisfaction regarding the limited global access of Indian passports was reflected in recent global passport ranking, ranking India at position eighty-five out of 199 countries, five spots lower compared to the previous year.

The Indian government has not commented regarding these findings yet.

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

In fact, India's rank over the last ten years has hovered around the eighties, even dipping to ninetieth place two years ago. Such standings are dismal when measured against other Asian countries like Japan, South Korea and Singapore, all maintaining leading ranks.

Global Passport Power Measures

The power of a passport reflects a country's global influence and international standing. It also translates into enhanced travel freedom for passport holders, boosting business and learning opportunities. A weak passport results in more paperwork, higher visa costs, reduced travel benefits and extended processing periods when journeying.

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

For example, in 2014 – when the current administration's ruling party came to power – 52 countries provided visa-free travel to Indians with the passport ranked 76th in the ranking.

The following year, it tumbled to the 85th position, then rose to eightieth over the past two years, dropping again to the 85th position this year. Meanwhile, countries allowing visa-free travel for Indians increased from fifty-two eight years ago to sixty last year and 62 in 2024.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The number of nations allowing visa-free entry in 2025 (fifty-seven) exceeds what it was eight years ago (52), but the country's position during both periods remains at eighty-fifth. What explains this situation?

Experts say that a primary factor is the increasingly competitive landscape in international travel – indicating that nations are forming additional travel agreements to benefit their citizens and their economies. According to recent analysis, the worldwide mean count of countries travellers are able to access visa-free has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to 109 in 2025.

As an illustration, The Chinese passport has increased the number of visa-free countries its citizens can travel to from 50 to 82 in the past decade. Consequently, its position in the ranking has enhanced from 94th to 60th in that same duration.

In comparison, India – previously positioned at seventy-seventh place in July – dropped to eighty-fifth place in October after losing access to two countries.

Other Influences Impacting Passport Power

An ex-diplomat from India notes multiple elements that affect the strength of a country's passport, like its economic and political stability as well as its openness to accepting travelers from other countries.

For instance, the US passport has fallen from the top ten currently holding the 12th position – its lowest ever – due to its more inward-looking approach in global affairs.

The diplomat mentioned how in the 1970s, Indians enjoyed visa-free travel to numerous European and Western nations, but that changed after the Khalistan movement in the 1980s. Later political disturbances have continued to damage at India's image as a stable democracy.

"Numerous nations are growing increasingly wary of immigrants," he stated. "The country possesses a high number of citizens emigrating to other countries or remaining beyond visa limits and that interferes with the country's reputation."

Factors like how secure a country's passport is and immigration processes also contribute in gaining visa-free entry to foreign nations.

Security and Technological Improvements

India's passport faces ongoing security threats. In 2024, authorities arrested over two hundred individuals for suspected visa and passport fraud. The country also has complex immigration processes with lengthy timelines of visa processing.

The former ambassador indicated that technological advances, like India's recently-launched digital passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and ease the immigration process. The e-passport contains a microchip that stores biometric information, increasing difficulty to forge or tamper with the document.

However, increased diplomatic efforts and travel agreements continue essential to boosting the global mobility for Indian citizens and consequently, India's passport ranking.