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In recent months, an online clip from a popular travel content creator complaining about the limited power of the Indian passport gained massive traction across digital platforms.

The influencer stated although nearby nations like Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming of travelers from India, obtaining visas to travel to many nations in Europe and the West continued to be difficult.

This dissatisfaction regarding India's poor passport strength was reflected in the latest global passport ranking, which placed the country in the 85th spot out of 199 countries, a decline of five positions than last year.

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

Countries like Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size compared to India – a nation that is the world's fifth biggest economy – hold better positions in the ranking in the seventies range, respectively.

Actually, India's rank in the past decade has hovered in the 80s, even dipping to the 90th spot in 2021. These rankings appear poor when measured against Asian nations like Japan, South Korea and Singapore, which have consistently held top positions.

What Passport Strength Indicates

The power of a passport reflects a nation's soft power and global influence. It also translates into better mobility for its citizens, boosting business and learning opportunities. A weak passport means additional documentation, higher visa costs, reduced travel benefits and extended processing periods when journeying.

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

For example, in 2014 – the year Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling party assumed office – fifty-two nations provided visa-free travel for Indian passport holders with the passport ranked 76th in the ranking.

The following year, it tumbled to the 85th position, then rose to eightieth in 2023 and 2024, declining once more to the 85th position this year. At the same time, visa-free destinations to Indian citizens grew from 52 in 2015 to sixty last year and sixty-two this year.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The count of visa-free destinations this year (fifty-seven) is higher than what it was eight years ago (fifty-two), yet the country's position for both these years remains at eighty-fifth. So, why is that?

Analysts note that a major reason involves growing competition in global mobility – indicating that nations are forming additional travel agreements to benefit their citizens and their economies. As per recent analysis, the worldwide mean number of destinations people can visit visa-free has almost doubled from 58 in 2006 to one hundred nine currently.

For example, 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 rank in the ranking has enhanced from 94th to 60th during the same time period.

In comparison, The Indian passport – which was ranked at seventy-seventh place in July – fell to the 85th position in October following the loss to two countries.

Other Influences Affecting Passport Strength

A former Indian ambassador notes there are other factors that affect the strength of a country's passport, including economic and political conditions as well as its receptiveness to welcoming citizens from abroad.

For instance, the American passport has dropped out from the top ten and now occupies twelfth place – its lowest ever – due to its more inward-looking approach in global affairs.

The diplomat mentioned that during the seventies, Indian citizens had visa-free travel to many Western and European countries, though this shifted following Sikh separatist movement during the eighties. Subsequent political upheavals have continued to damage the country's reputation as a stable, democratic country.

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

Elements like the security level a country's passport is and its immigration procedures also play a role to obtaining visa-free entry to other countries.

Enhanced Security Measures

India's passport faces ongoing security risks. Last year, authorities detained 203 people for suspected passport and visa irregularities. The country also has complex immigration processes with lengthy timelines of visa processing.

The former ambassador says that technological advances, such as the newly introduced electronic passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and streamline immigration. This electronic document includes a small chip holding biometric data, making it harder to forge or tamper with the passport.

But, increased diplomatic efforts and travel partnerships remain key for enhancing the global mobility for Indian citizens and consequently, the Indian passport's global position.