🔗 Share this article The Reasons Behind India's National Passport Is Falling in Worldwide Standing India's passport ranks 85th spot out of one hundred ninety-nine countries according to the global passport ranking index Earlier this year, a video from an Indian travel influencer expressing frustration over the limited power of the Indian passport went viral on social media. The influencer stated that while neighbouring countries like Sri Lanka and Bhutan were more welcoming to Indian tourists, securing travel permits to travel to many nations in Europe and the West continued to be difficult. Such concerns with India's poor passport strength was reflected in the latest global passport ranking, ranking India in the 85th spot out of nearly two hundred nations, a decline of five positions compared to the previous year. The Indian government have not issued a statement on the report yet. Countries including Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies than India – a nation that is the fifth-largest economy globally – hold better positions on the index in the seventies range, in that order. Actually, the country's position in the past decade has remained around the eighties, falling to ninetieth place in 2021. These rankings appear poor compared to other Asian countries like Japan, South Korea and Singapore, which have consistently held top positions. Citizens of India have visa-free entry to 57 countries Global Passport Power Indicates Passport strength reflects 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 means more paperwork, increased visa expenses, fewer travel privileges and longer waiting times when journeying. However, even with the decline in the rank, the count of nations providing visa-free travel to Indians has grown over the last ten years. As an instance, in 2014 – the year Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling party came to power – fifty-two nations provided visa-free travel to Indians and its passport ranked 76th in the ranking. The following year, it fell to the 85th position, then improved to eightieth over the past two years, dropping again to the 85th position this year. At the same time, visa-free destinations to Indian citizens increased 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 (57) exceeds what it was eight years ago (52), yet India's rank for both these years is 85. So, why is that? Experts say that a major reason is the increasingly competitive landscape in international travel – indicating that countries are entering into additional travel agreements for their populations' advantage and their economies. As per recent analysis, the global average count of countries people can visit without visas has almost doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to 109 in 2025. As an illustration, The Chinese passport has increased the number of visa-free countries available to its citizens from 50 to 82 in the past decade. As a result, its rank on the index has enhanced from ninety-fourth to sixtieth in that same duration. Meanwhile, The Indian passport – previously positioned 77th on the index during summer – fell to the 85th position this autumn following the loss of two nations. The Singaporean passport holds the top position in the world Additional Factors Affecting Passport Strength A former Indian ambassador notes multiple elements influencing a nation's passport power, like economic and political conditions plus its openness to accepting travelers from other countries. For instance, the US passport has dropped out of the top 10 currently holding the 12th position – its lowest ever – due to its increasingly insular stance in global affairs. The former ambassador recalls that during the seventies, Indians enjoyed visa-free travel to numerous European and Western nations, but that changed after the Sikh separatist movement during the eighties. Subsequent political upheavals have further chipped away at India's image as a stable, democratic country. "Many countries are growing increasingly wary of immigrants," he stated. "India has a large quantity of people migrating overseas or overstaying their visas and that interferes with the national image." Factors like the security level of a national passport and its immigration procedures also play a role to obtaining visa-free entry to foreign nations. Security and Technological Improvements India's passport remains vulnerable to security threats. In 2024, law enforcement detained 203 people for suspected visa and passport fraud. The country also has cumbersome immigration procedures with lengthy timelines for visa approvals. The diplomat indicated that technological advances, such as the newly introduced digital passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and ease the immigration process. The e-passport contains a microchip that stores biometric information, making it harder to counterfeit or alter the document. However, increased diplomatic efforts and travel agreements remain key to boosting international travel freedom for Indian citizens and consequently, the Indian passport's global position.