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Earlier this year, an online clip from an Indian travel influencer complaining about India's weak passport gained massive traction across digital platforms.

The influencer stated although neighbouring countries such as Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming to travelers from India, obtaining visas to travel to many nations in Europe and the West remained a challenge.

This dissatisfaction with the limited global access of Indian passports found confirmation in recent global passport ranking, ranking India in the 85th spot among 199 countries, five spots lower compared to the previous year.

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

Countries including Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies than India – a nation that is the fifth-largest economy globally – hold better positions in the ranking in the seventies range, in that order.

Actually, India's rank over the last ten years has hovered around the eighties, falling to the 90th spot in 2021. These rankings appear poor when measured against Asian nations like Singapore, Japan and South Korea, which have consistently held leading ranks.

Global Passport Power Indicates

The power of a passport reflects a country's global influence and global influence. This leads to better mobility for passport holders, improving commercial and educational prospects. Limited passport power results in additional documentation, higher visa costs, fewer travel privileges and extended processing periods for travel.

But despite the drop in position, the number of countries providing visa-free travel for Indian citizens has grown over the last ten years.

For example, in 2014 – when Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed office – 52 countries provided visa-free access to Indians and its passport at seventy-sixth position on the index.

The following year, it fell to eighty-fifth place, then rose to eightieth in 2023 and 2024, dropping again to the eighty-fifth spot this year. At the same time, countries allowing visa-free travel for Indians grew from fifty-two eight years ago to sixty last year and sixty-two this year.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The count of nations allowing visa-free entry this year (57) is higher than the number eight years ago (52), yet the country's position for both these years is 85. So, why is that?

Experts say that a major reason involves growing competition in global mobility – indicating that nations are entering into additional travel agreements to benefit their citizens and economic growth. According to recent analysis, the worldwide mean count of countries travellers are able to access without visas has almost doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to one hundred nine currently.

For example, China has expanded the number of visa-free countries available to its citizens from 50 to 82 over the last ten years. Consequently, its position on the index has enhanced from 94th to 60th in that same duration.

In comparison, India – previously positioned 77th on the index during summer – dropped to the 85th position in October following the loss to two countries.

Other Influences Affecting Passport Strength

A former Indian ambassador 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 abroad.

For instance, the American passport has dropped out of the top 10 and now occupies the 12th position – its lowest ever – because of its increasingly insular stance in global affairs.

The diplomat recalls how in the 1970s, Indian citizens had visa-free access to many Western and European countries, but that changed after the Sikh separatist movement in the 1980s. Subsequent political upheavals have further chipped away at India's image as a stable democracy.

"Many countries are also becoming more cautious regarding migrants," he stated. "The country possesses a large quantity of citizens emigrating overseas or remaining beyond visa limits and that interferes with the country's reputation."

Elements such as the security level of a national passport and immigration processes also play a role to obtaining visa-free entry to foreign nations.

Enhanced Security Measures

The Indian passport remains vulnerable to security threats. Last year, law enforcement detained over two hundred individuals for suspected passport and visa irregularities. The country also has complex immigration processes with lengthy timelines for visa approvals.

The former ambassador indicated 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 holding biometric data, making it harder to counterfeit or alter the document.

But, more diplomatic outreach and travel partnerships remain key for enhancing the global mobility of Indians and, by extension, India's passport ranking.