🔗 Share this article The Reasons Behind the Indian Passport Is Falling in Global Ranking India's passport ranks 85th spot among 199 nations according to the global passport ranking index Earlier this year, an online clip by a popular travel content creator expressing frustration over India's weak passport gained massive traction on social media. He mentioned that while nearby nations like Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming to travelers from India, obtaining visas to travel to most Western and European countries continued to be difficult. This dissatisfaction with India's poor passport strength was reflected in the latest global passport ranking, which placed India in the 85th spot among 199 countries, a decline of five positions compared to the previous year. The Indian government have not issued a statement regarding these findings yet. Nations including Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size compared to India – a nation that is the world's fifth biggest economy – are ranked higher on the index at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, respectively. In fact, India's rank over the last ten years has hovered around the eighties, falling to ninetieth place two years ago. These rankings appear poor when measured against Asian nations such as Japan, South Korea and Singapore, which have consistently held leading ranks. Indian passport holders can enjoy visa-free entry to 57 countries Global Passport Power Indicates Passport strength indicates a nation's soft power and global influence. It also translates into better mobility for passport holders, boosting business and learning opportunities. A weak passport results in additional documentation, increased visa expenses, fewer travel privileges and extended processing periods when journeying. But despite the decline in the rank, the count of nations offering visa-free access for Indian citizens has grown in the past decade or so. For example, in 2014 – the year Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling party assumed office – 52 countries offered visa-free travel for Indian passport holders 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, declining once more to the 85th position this year. At the same time, countries allowing visa-free travel for Indians increased from 52 in 2015 to 60 in 2023 and sixty-two this year. The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape The count of nations allowing visa-free entry this year (57) is higher than what it was eight years ago (52), yet India's rank for both these years is 85. So, why is that? Analysts note that a major reason involves growing competition in international travel – meaning nations are entering into more travel partnerships to benefit their citizens and their economies. As per a 2025 report, the global average number of destinations people can visit without visas has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to one hundred nine currently. As an illustration, The Chinese passport has expanded its count of visa-free countries available to its citizens from fifty to eighty-two in the past decade. As a result, its position on the index has improved from 94th to 60th in that same duration. In comparison, India – previously positioned 77th on the index during summer – dropped to eighty-fifth place in October after losing access to two countries. Singapore's passport holds the top position globally Other Influences Impacting Passport Power A former Indian ambassador says there are other factors that affect a nation's passport power, including its economic and political stability plus its openness to welcoming citizens from other countries. For instance, the US passport has fallen from the top ten and now occupies the 12th position – its lowest ever – due to its increasingly insular stance in global affairs. The diplomat recalls how in the 1970s, Indians enjoyed visa-free travel to many Western and European countries, though this shifted after the Khalistan movement in the 1980s. Subsequent political upheavals have further chipped away the country's reputation as a stable democracy. "Numerous nations are also becoming increasingly wary of immigrants," he stated. "India has a large quantity of citizens emigrating to other countries or remaining beyond visa limits and that interferes with the national image." Factors like the security level a country's passport is and its immigration procedures also play a role to obtaining visa-free access to other countries. Enhanced Security Measures The Indian passport remains vulnerable to security threats. In 2024, authorities detained 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 new technologies, such as the newly introduced digital passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and ease the immigration process. This electronic document contains a microchip holding biometric data, making it harder to counterfeit or alter the passport. But, increased diplomatic efforts and travel partnerships continue essential to boosting the global mobility of Indians and consequently, India's passport ranking.