The Reasons Behind the Indian Passport Is Falling in Global Ranking

In recent months, a video by a popular travel content creator expressing frustration over India's weak passport went viral on social media.

He mentioned that while neighbouring countries such as Sri Lanka and Bhutan offered easier access to Indian tourists, obtaining visas for visiting many nations in Europe and the West continued to be difficult.

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

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

Nations including Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size than India – a nation that is the fifth-largest economy globally – are ranked higher in the ranking at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, respectively.

Actually, the country's position over the last ten years has hovered around the eighties, even dipping to the 90th spot two years ago. Such standings are dismal when measured against Asian nations like Singapore, Japan and South Korea, which have consistently held leading ranks.

What Passport Strength Indicates

The power of a passport reflects a country's global influence and international standing. It also translates into enhanced travel freedom for passport holders, improving commercial and learning opportunities. Limited passport power results in additional documentation, increased visa expenses, fewer travel privileges and longer waiting times when journeying.

But despite the drop in position, the count of nations offering visa-free access to Indians has actually increased over the last ten years.

As an instance, in 2014 – the year the current administration's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power – 52 countries offered visa-free access to Indians with the passport at seventy-sixth position on the index.

The following year, it fell to eighty-fifth place, then improved to 80th in 2023 and 2024, dropping again to the eighty-fifth spot currently. Meanwhile, visa-free destinations for Indians grew from 52 in 2015 to 60 in 2023 and 62 in 2024.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The count of nations allowing visa-free entry this year (fifty-seven) is higher than the number in 2015 (52), yet India's rank for both these years remains at eighty-fifth. So, why is that?

Analysts note that a major reason is the increasingly competitive landscape in international travel – meaning nations are forming additional travel agreements to benefit their citizens and economic growth. As per recent analysis, the global average count of countries travellers are able to access visa-free has almost doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to one hundred nine currently.

As an illustration, China has expanded the number of visa-free countries available to its citizens from fifty to eighty-two in the past decade. Consequently, its rank in the ranking has enhanced from ninety-fourth to sixtieth in that same duration.

In comparison, The Indian passport – previously positioned at seventy-seventh place in July – fell to eighty-fifth place this autumn after losing access to two countries.

Other Influences Affecting Passport Strength

An ex-diplomat from India notes there are other factors that affect a nation's passport power, including its economic and political stability as well as its openness to welcoming citizens from other countries.

For example, the US passport has fallen from the top ten and now occupies twelfth place – its lowest ever – because of its more inward-looking approach in world politics.

The former ambassador mentioned how in the 1970s, Indian citizens had visa-free travel to many Western and European countries, though this shifted following Khalistan movement in the 1980s. Subsequent political upheavals have further chipped away the country's reputation as a stable, democratic country.

"Numerous nations are growing more cautious of immigrants," the diplomat added. "The country possesses a high number of people migrating overseas or remaining beyond visa limits affecting the country's reputation."

Elements like the security level of a national passport and its immigration procedures also contribute in gaining visa-free entry to other countries.

Security and Technological Improvements

The Indian passport remains vulnerable to security risks. In 2024, authorities detained 203 people for alleged passport and visa irregularities. India is also known for complex immigration processes and a slow pace for visa approvals.

The former ambassador indicated that technological advances, such as the newly introduced electronic passport or e-passport, can improve security and ease the immigration process. The e-passport includes a small chip holding biometric data, making it harder to forge or tamper with the document.

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