🔗 Share this article Why India's National Passport Continues to Drop in Global Ranking India's passport ranks the eighty-fifth position out of 199 countries according to the global passport ranking index Earlier this year, an online clip by an Indian travel influencer expressing frustration over India's weak passport went viral across digital platforms. He mentioned although nearby nations such as Bhutan and Sri Lanka offered easier access of Indian tourists, obtaining visas to travel to most Western and European countries remained a challenge. Such concerns with India's poor passport strength found confirmation in recent Henley Passport Index, which placed the country at position eighty-five among nearly two hundred nations, a decline of five positions than last year. Officials in India has not commented regarding these findings yet. Nations like Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size compared to India – which is the world's fifth biggest economy – hold better positions on the index in the seventies range, in that order. Actually, India's rank in the past decade has hovered in the 80s, falling to the 90th spot in 2021. These rankings appear poor compared to other Asian countries like Singapore, Japan and South Korea, which have consistently held leading ranks. Citizens of India have travel without visas in fifty-seven nations Global Passport Power Indicates Passport strength indicates a nation's soft power and international standing. This leads to enhanced travel freedom for its citizens, boosting business and educational prospects. A weak passport means additional documentation, higher visa costs, reduced travel benefits and longer waiting times for travel. But despite the drop in position, the count of nations offering visa-free access for Indian citizens has actually increased over the last ten years. As an instance, eight years ago – when Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed office – fifty-two nations provided visa-free access for Indian passport holders with the passport ranked 76th in the ranking. A year later, it fell to the 85th position, then improved to eightieth over the past two years, dropping again to the 85th position currently. At the same time, countries allowing visa-free travel to Indian citizens increased from 52 in 2015 to 60 in 2023 and 62 in 2024. Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition The count of visa-free destinations in 2025 (fifty-seven) exceeds what it was eight years ago (fifty-two), yet the country's position during both periods remains at eighty-fifth. So, why is that? Analysts note that a major reason involves growing competition in global mobility – meaning nations are forming additional travel agreements for their populations' advantage and economic growth. As per a 2025 report, the worldwide mean count of countries travellers are able to access visa-free has nearly doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to 109 in 2025. As an illustration, The Chinese passport has expanded its count of visa-free countries its citizens can travel to from fifty to eighty-two in the past decade. As a result, its rank on the index has improved from ninety-fourth to sixtieth in that same duration. Meanwhile, India – which was ranked at seventy-seventh place in July – dropped to the 85th position this autumn following the loss of two nations. The Singaporean passport holds the top position globally Other Influences Affecting Passport Strength An ex-diplomat from India notes multiple elements that affect a nation's passport power, like its economic and political stability as well as its openness to accepting travelers from other countries. For example, the American passport has fallen of the top 10 and now occupies twelfth place – a historic low – due to its increasingly insular stance in world politics. The former ambassador recalls how in the 1970s, Indians enjoyed visa-free access to numerous European and Western nations, though this shifted after the Khalistan movement during the eighties. Subsequent political upheavals have further chipped away at India's image as a stable, democratic country. "Numerous nations are also becoming increasingly wary of immigrants," he stated. "The country possesses a high number of citizens emigrating overseas or remaining beyond visa limits affecting the country's reputation." Elements like how secure of a national passport and its immigration procedures also play a role to obtaining visa-free entry to foreign nations. Security and Technological Improvements The Indian passport remains vulnerable to security threats. Last year, authorities detained 203 people for alleged visa and passport fraud. The country also has complex immigration processes with lengthy timelines of visa processing. The former ambassador says that new technologies, like India's recently-launched digital passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and ease the immigration process. The e-passport includes a microchip that stores biometric data, increasing difficulty to forge or tamper with the document. But, more diplomatic outreach and travel agreements remain key to boosting the global mobility for Indian citizens and consequently, India's passport ranking.