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

He mentioned that while neighbouring countries like Sri Lanka and Bhutan offered easier access of travelers from India, obtaining visas for visiting many nations in Europe and the West continued to be difficult.

Such concerns regarding the limited global access of Indian passports was reflected in the latest global passport ranking, which placed India at position eighty-five out of 199 countries, five spots lower than last year.

The Indian government have not issued a statement regarding these findings yet.

Nations like Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies compared to India – a nation that is the world's fifth biggest economy – hold better positions on the index at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, respectively.

Actually, the country's position over the last ten years has remained around the eighties, even dipping to the 90th spot in 2021. Such standings are dismal when measured against Asian nations such as Japan, South Korea and Singapore, all maintaining top positions.

Global Passport Power Measures

The power of a passport indicates a nation's soft power and international standing. This leads to better mobility for passport holders, boosting business and educational prospects. A weak passport means additional documentation, increased visa expenses, reduced travel benefits and extended processing periods for travel.

But despite 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.

As an instance, in 2014 – the year Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed office – 52 countries provided visa-free travel for Indian passport holders with the passport at seventy-sixth position on the index.

A year later, it tumbled to eighty-fifth place, then rose to eightieth over the past two years, dropping again to the 85th position this year. At the same time, visa-free destinations for Indians increased from fifty-two eight years ago to 60 in 2023 and 62 in 2024.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The number of nations allowing visa-free entry this year (fifty-seven) exceeds what it was in 2015 (fifty-two), yet the country's position for both these years is 85. So, why is that?

Analysts note that a primary factor involves growing competition in global mobility – meaning nations are forming more travel partnerships to benefit their citizens and their economies. As per recent analysis, the worldwide mean count of countries people can visit without visas has nearly doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to one hundred nine currently.

As an illustration, China has expanded the number of visa-free destinations its citizens can travel to from fifty to eighty-two over the last ten years. As a result, its rank in the ranking has enhanced from ninety-fourth to sixtieth in that same duration.

Meanwhile, The Indian passport – which was ranked 77th on the index in July – dropped to the 85th position this autumn following the loss to two countries.

Additional Factors Affecting Passport Strength

An ex-diplomat from India says there are other factors that affect the strength of a country's passport, like its economic and political stability plus its openness to welcoming citizens from other countries.

For example, the American passport has fallen of the top 10 currently holding the 12th position – its lowest ever – because of its more inward-looking approach in world politics.

The former ambassador recalls how in the 1970s, Indian citizens had visa-free travel to many Western and European countries, but that changed following Sikh separatist 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. "India has a large quantity of people migrating overseas or remaining beyond visa limits and that interferes with the country's reputation."

Factors such as the security level a country's passport is and its immigration procedures also contribute to obtaining visa-free access to other countries.

Enhanced Security Measures

India's passport faces ongoing security risks. Last year, law enforcement arrested 203 people for suspected passport and visa irregularities. The country also has complex immigration processes and a slow pace for visa approvals.

The diplomat says that technological advances, such as the newly introduced electronic passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and ease the immigration process. This electronic document contains a microchip holding biometric information, making it harder to counterfeit or alter the passport.

However, more diplomatic outreach and travel partnerships remain key to boosting international travel freedom of Indians and consequently, the Indian passport's global position.