The Reasons Behind the Indian Passport Continues to Drop in Worldwide Standing

In recent months, an online clip by an Indian travel influencer expressing frustration over the limited power of the Indian passport went viral on social media.

He mentioned although nearby nations such as Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming to Indian tourists, obtaining visas to travel to most Western and European countries continued to be difficult.

This dissatisfaction with the limited global access of Indian passports was reflected in the latest global passport ranking, which placed the country at position eighty-five among 199 countries, a decline of five positions than last year.

Officials in India have not issued a statement regarding these findings yet.

Nations including Ghana, Rwanda 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, in that order.

In fact, India's rank in the past decade has hovered in the 80s, even dipping to ninetieth place two years ago. Such standings are dismal when measured against Asian nations such as Singapore, Japan and South Korea, all maintaining top positions.

What Passport Strength Measures

The power of a passport reflects a nation's soft power and international standing. It also translates into enhanced travel freedom for passport holders, boosting business and educational prospects. Limited passport power means more paperwork, higher visa costs, reduced travel benefits and extended processing periods when journeying.

But despite the drop in position, the number of countries offering visa-free access for Indian citizens has actually increased in the past decade or so.

As an instance, in 2014 – the year the current administration's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed office – 52 countries offered visa-free travel for Indian passport holders with the passport at seventy-sixth position in the ranking.

The following year, it fell to eighty-fifth place, then improved to 80th in 2023 and 2024, declining once more to the 85th position currently. At the same time, visa-free destinations to Indian citizens increased from fifty-two eight years ago to sixty last year and 62 in 2024.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The number of visa-free destinations this year (57) exceeds what it was in 2015 (52), but the country's position during both periods is 85. What explains this situation?

Analysts note that a major reason is the increasingly competitive landscape in global mobility – meaning nations are forming more travel partnerships to benefit their citizens and economic growth. According to recent analysis, the global average number of destinations travellers are able to access visa-free has nearly doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to one hundred nine currently.

For example, The Chinese passport has expanded its count of visa-free destinations available to its citizens from fifty to eighty-two in the past decade. Consequently, its position on the index has improved from 94th to 60th during the same time period.

Meanwhile, The Indian passport – previously positioned 77th on the index during summer – fell to the 85th position in October after losing access of two nations.

Other Influences Impacting Passport Power

An ex-diplomat from India says there are other factors influencing a nation's passport power, including economic and political conditions as well as its openness to accepting travelers from other countries.

For example, the American passport has dropped out of the top 10 currently holding twelfth place – a historic low – due to its more inward-looking approach in world politics.

The former ambassador recalls that during the seventies, Indians enjoyed visa-free travel to many Western and European countries, though this shifted after the Khalistan movement during the eighties. Later political disturbances have continued to damage 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 large quantity of citizens emigrating to other countries or remaining beyond visa limits affecting the national image."

Elements like the security level of a national passport and its immigration procedures also contribute to obtaining visa-free entry to foreign nations.

Security and Technological Improvements

India's passport faces ongoing security threats. In 2024, law enforcement detained 203 people for suspected passport and visa irregularities. The country also has complex immigration processes and a slow pace of visa processing.

The diplomat indicated that technological advances, like India's recently-launched digital passport or e-passport, can improve security and ease the immigration process. This electronic document includes a small chip holding biometric data, increasing difficulty to counterfeit or alter the passport.

But, increased diplomatic efforts and travel agreements continue essential for enhancing the global mobility of Indians and, by extension, India's passport ranking.