🔗 Share this article The Reasons Behind the National Passport Is Falling in Global Ranking India's passport ranks 85th position among 199 nations on the global passport ranking index Earlier this year, an online clip from an Indian travel influencer expressing frustration over the limited power of the Indian passport went viral on social media. He mentioned that while neighbouring countries like Bhutan and Sri Lanka offered easier access to travelers from India, obtaining visas to travel to many nations in Europe and the West remained a challenge. Such concerns with India's poor passport strength found confirmation in the latest Henley Passport Index, which placed the country at position eighty-five among 199 countries, a decline of five positions compared to the previous year. Officials in India has not commented regarding these findings yet. Nations like Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size compared to India – a nation that is the fifth-largest economy globally – hold better positions in the ranking in the seventies range, respectively. In fact, India's rank in the past decade has hovered in the 80s, even dipping to the 90th spot two years ago. Such standings are dismal when measured against other Asian countries such as Japan, South Korea and Singapore, which have consistently held leading ranks. Citizens of India have visa-free entry to 57 countries Global Passport Power Measures Passport strength reflects a country's global influence and international standing. It also translates into enhanced travel freedom for its citizens, improving commercial and educational prospects. A weak passport means additional documentation, increased visa expenses, reduced travel benefits and longer waiting times when journeying. However, even with the decline in the rank, the count of nations offering visa-free access to Indians has actually increased over the last ten years. For example, in 2014 – when Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling party came to power – 52 countries offered visa-free travel for Indian passport holders and its passport ranked 76th on the index. A year later, it fell to the 85th position, then rose to 80th in 2023 and 2024, declining once more to the 85th position this year. Meanwhile, visa-free destinations for Indians grew from 52 in 2015 to 60 in 2023 and sixty-two this year. The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape The number of nations allowing visa-free entry this year (57) is higher than the number eight years ago (52), but the country's position for both these years is 85. So, why is that? Experts say that a primary factor involves growing competition in global mobility – meaning countries are entering into additional travel agreements for their populations' advantage and economic growth. As per recent analysis, the worldwide mean number of destinations travellers are able to access visa-free has almost 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 available to its citizens from fifty to eighty-two over the last ten years. Consequently, its position on the index has enhanced 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. The Singaporean passport is the most powerful globally Additional Factors Impacting Passport Power An ex-diplomat from India notes multiple elements influencing a nation's passport power, like economic and political conditions as well as its receptiveness to accepting travelers from abroad. For instance, the American passport has fallen of the top 10 and now occupies the 12th position – a historic low – due to its more inward-looking approach in world politics. The diplomat mentioned that during the seventies, Indian citizens had visa-free access to many Western and European countries, but that changed following Khalistan movement in the 1980s. Subsequent political upheavals have further chipped away the country's reputation as a stable democracy. "Numerous nations are also becoming increasingly wary of immigrants," the diplomat added. "The country possesses a high number of citizens emigrating overseas or overstaying their visas affecting the national image." Elements such as how secure of a national passport and immigration processes also play a role in gaining visa-free entry to foreign nations. Security and Technological Improvements The Indian passport faces ongoing security risks. Last year, authorities arrested 203 people for alleged passport and visa irregularities. India is also known for cumbersome immigration procedures and a slow pace for visa approvals. The diplomat indicated that technological advances, such as the newly introduced digital passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and ease the immigration process. This electronic document includes a small chip holding biometric information, increasing difficulty to counterfeit or alter the passport. But, more diplomatic outreach and travel agreements continue essential for enhancing the global mobility of Indians and, by extension, the Indian passport's global position.