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In recent months, an online clip from a popular travel content creator expressing frustration over India's weak 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 for visiting many nations in Europe and the West continued to be difficult.

Such concerns regarding the limited global access of Indian passports found confirmation in recent global passport ranking, ranking India in the 85th spot among nearly two hundred nations, a decline of five positions compared to the previous year.

Officials in India have not issued a statement on the report so far.

Nations like Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan with much smaller economies compared to India – a nation that is the world's fifth biggest economy – are ranked higher in the ranking at the 78th, 74th and 72nd spots, in that order.

In fact, India's rank over the last ten years has hovered around the eighties, falling to the 90th spot two years ago. These rankings are dismal compared to Asian nations like Japan, South Korea and Singapore, all maintaining leading ranks.

Global Passport Power Indicates

The power of a passport reflects a country's global influence and global influence. It also translates into better mobility for passport holders, boosting business and educational prospects. Limited passport power results in additional documentation, increased visa expenses, reduced travel benefits and longer waiting times for travel.

But despite the decline in the rank, the number of countries offering visa-free access to Indians has grown over the last ten years.

For example, in 2014 – when Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power – fifty-two nations provided visa-free access for Indian passport holders and its passport ranked 76th on the index.

The following year, it tumbled to the 85th position, then rose to 80th over the past two years, declining once more to the 85th position currently. At the same time, countries allowing visa-free travel for Indians grew from fifty-two eight years ago to sixty last year and 62 in 2024.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The number of nations allowing visa-free entry this year (fifty-seven) is higher than the number in 2015 (52), but the country's position during both periods is 85. What explains this situation?

Experts say that a major reason involves growing competition in international travel – meaning countries are entering into additional travel agreements for their populations' advantage and their economies. As per recent analysis, the worldwide mean count of countries travellers are able to access without visas has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to one hundred nine currently.

As an illustration, The Chinese passport has increased the number of visa-free destinations available to its citizens from fifty to eighty-two in the past decade. As a result, its position on the index has improved from ninety-fourth to sixtieth during the same time period.

In comparison, India – previously positioned 77th on the index in July – dropped to eighty-fifth place this autumn following the loss of two nations.

Other Influences Impacting Passport Power

An ex-diplomat from India notes there are other factors that affect a nation's passport power, including economic and political conditions as well as its openness to accepting travelers from abroad.

For example, the American passport has dropped out from the top ten and now occupies twelfth place – its lowest ever – due to its increasingly insular stance in global affairs.

The diplomat recalls that during the seventies, Indians enjoyed visa-free access to many Western and European countries, though this shifted after the Khalistan movement in the 1980s. Later political disturbances have continued to damage at India's image as a stable, democratic country.

"Many countries are growing increasingly wary of immigrants," he stated. "The country possesses a high number of people migrating overseas or overstaying their visas and that interferes with the country's reputation."

Elements such as the security level a country's passport is and its immigration procedures also play a role in gaining visa-free access to foreign nations.

Enhanced Security Measures

The Indian passport remains vulnerable to security threats. Last year, law enforcement detained 203 people for suspected visa and passport fraud. The country also has complex immigration processes with lengthy timelines of visa processing.

The former ambassador indicated that technological advances, like India's recently-launched electronic passport or e-passport, can improve security and streamline immigration. The e-passport includes a microchip holding biometric data, making it harder to forge or tamper with the document.

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