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In recent months, an online clip from a popular travel content creator expressing frustration over India's weak passport gained massive traction on social media.

He mentioned although neighbouring countries such as Bhutan and Sri Lanka offered easier access to Indian tourists, securing travel permits for visiting many nations in Europe and the West continued to be difficult.

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

The Indian government have not issued a statement on the report yet.

Countries including Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size than India – which is the world's fifth biggest economy – are ranked higher on the index in the seventies range, in that order.

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

Global Passport Power Measures

The power of a passport reflects a nation's soft power and international standing. This leads to better mobility for its citizens, boosting business and educational prospects. Limited passport power means additional documentation, higher visa costs, reduced travel benefits and extended processing periods when journeying.

However, even with the decline in the rank, the count of nations providing visa-free travel for Indian citizens has actually increased in the past decade or so.

For example, eight years ago – the year Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed office – 52 countries provided visa-free access to Indians with the passport at seventy-sixth position in the ranking.

A year later, it fell to eighty-fifth place, then improved to 80th over the past two years, dropping again to the 85th position this year. Meanwhile, countries allowing visa-free travel for Indians grew from fifty-two eight years ago to 60 in 2023 and sixty-two this year.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The count of nations allowing visa-free entry this year (fifty-seven) exceeds 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 global mobility – indicating that countries are forming more travel partnerships to benefit their citizens and their economies. As per recent analysis, the global average count of countries travellers are able to access without visas has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to one hundred nine currently.

As an illustration, The Chinese passport has increased the number of visa-free destinations available to its citizens from fifty to eighty-two over the last ten years. As a result, its rank in the ranking has improved from ninety-fourth to sixtieth in that same duration.

Meanwhile, India – which was ranked 77th on the index during summer – dropped to eighty-fifth place this autumn following the loss of two nations.

Additional Factors Impacting Passport Power

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

For instance, the US 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 recalls how in the 1970s, Indians enjoyed visa-free access to many Western and European countries, though this shifted following Sikh separatist movement in the 1980s. Subsequent political upheavals have further chipped away the country's reputation as a stable, democratic country.

"Many countries are also becoming increasingly wary regarding migrants," the diplomat added. "The country possesses a high number of citizens emigrating to other countries or overstaying their visas affecting the national image."

Elements like how secure of a national passport and its immigration procedures also contribute in gaining visa-free access to other countries.

Enhanced Security Measures

India's passport faces ongoing security threats. In 2024, authorities detained 203 people for alleged passport and visa irregularities. India is also known for 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, can improve security and streamline immigration. The e-passport contains a microchip that stores biometric data, making it harder to counterfeit or alter the passport.

However, more diplomatic outreach and travel agreements continue essential for enhancing international travel freedom for Indian citizens and consequently, India's passport ranking.