🔗 Share this article

In recent months, a video by an Indian travel influencer expressing frustration over India's weak passport went viral across digital platforms.

He mentioned although nearby nations such as Sri Lanka and Bhutan offered easier access of Indian tourists, securing travel permits to travel to most Western and European countries continued to be difficult.

Such concerns with the limited global access of Indian passports was reflected in the latest global passport ranking, which placed the country in the 85th spot among nearly two hundred nations, five spots lower than last year.

Officials in India has not commented on the report yet.

Nations like Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size than India – which is the world's fifth biggest economy – hold better positions in the ranking at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, respectively.

In fact, the country's position in the past decade has remained around the eighties, falling to ninetieth place in 2021. These rankings are dismal compared to other Asian countries such as Japan, South Korea and Singapore, which have consistently held leading ranks.

What Passport Strength Measures

Passport strength indicates a country's global influence and global influence. It also translates into enhanced travel freedom for passport holders, boosting business and educational prospects. A weak passport means additional documentation, increased visa expenses, fewer travel privileges and longer waiting times when journeying.

But despite the decline in the rank, the count of nations providing visa-free travel for Indian citizens has grown over the last ten years.

For example, in 2014 – the year Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling party assumed office – fifty-two nations provided visa-free access for Indian passport holders and its passport ranked 76th on the index.

A year later, it fell to the 85th position, then improved to eightieth over the past two years, declining once more to the eighty-fifth spot currently. Meanwhile, visa-free destinations to Indian citizens grew from fifty-two eight years ago to sixty last year and 62 in 2024.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The count of nations allowing visa-free entry this year (fifty-seven) is higher than what it was eight years ago (fifty-two), but India's rank for both these years is 85. What explains this situation?

Experts say that a primary factor involves growing competition in international travel – indicating that countries are forming additional travel agreements to benefit their citizens and their economies. According to recent analysis, the global average number of destinations people can visit visa-free has almost doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to one hundred nine currently.

For example, China has increased its count of visa-free destinations its citizens can travel to from 50 to 82 over the last ten years. As a result, its position in the ranking has enhanced from 94th to 60th in that same duration.

Meanwhile, The Indian passport – previously positioned at seventy-seventh place during summer – fell to the 85th position this autumn following the loss of two nations.

Other Influences Impacting Passport Power

An ex-diplomat from India notes there are other factors influencing the strength of a country's passport, like economic and political conditions plus its receptiveness to accepting travelers from other countries.

For instance, the American passport has fallen from the top ten currently holding twelfth place – a historic low – due to its more inward-looking approach in world politics.

The former ambassador mentioned that during the seventies, Indians enjoyed visa-free travel to numerous European and Western nations, though this shifted following Khalistan movement in the 1980s. Subsequent political upheavals have further chipped away at India's image as a stable, democratic country.

"Many countries are also becoming increasingly wary of immigrants," he stated. "The country possesses a large quantity of citizens emigrating overseas or overstaying their visas and that interferes with the country's reputation."

Elements such as how secure of a national passport and its immigration procedures also play a role in gaining visa-free entry to other countries.

Security and Technological Improvements

India's passport remains vulnerable to security risks. Last year, law enforcement detained 203 people for alleged visa and passport fraud. 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, may enhance safety and ease the immigration process. This electronic document contains a small chip that stores biometric information, increasing difficulty to counterfeit or alter the document.

But, increased diplomatic efforts and travel partnerships continue essential to boosting international travel freedom for Indian citizens and consequently, the Indian passport's global position.