🔗 Share this article

Earlier this year, an online clip by a popular travel content creator expressing frustration over the limited power of the Indian passport gained massive traction on social media.

The influencer stated that while nearby nations such as Sri Lanka and Bhutan offered easier access to Indian tourists, securing travel permits for visiting many nations in Europe and the West continued to be difficult.

Such concerns regarding India's poor passport strength was reflected in recent global passport ranking, which placed India in the 85th spot out of 199 countries, five spots lower than last year.

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

Countries like 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, respectively.

Actually, the country's position in the past decade has remained in the 80s, falling to the 90th spot two years ago. These rankings appear poor when measured against other Asian countries such as Singapore, Japan and South Korea, which have consistently held top positions.

Global Passport Power Indicates

Passport strength reflects a country's global influence and global influence. It also translates into enhanced travel freedom for its citizens, improving commercial and educational prospects. Limited passport power means additional documentation, higher visa costs, reduced travel benefits and longer waiting times 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 – the year Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed office – 52 countries provided visa-free travel to Indians and its passport at seventy-sixth position on the index.

A year later, it tumbled to eighty-fifth place, then rose to eightieth over the past two years, declining once more to the 85th position this year. Meanwhile, countries allowing visa-free travel to Indian citizens increased from fifty-two eight years ago to 60 in 2023 and sixty-two this year.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The count of visa-free destinations this year (57) exceeds what it was eight years ago (fifty-two), but the country's position during both periods remains at eighty-fifth. So, why is that?

Analysts note that a primary factor is the increasingly competitive landscape in international travel – indicating that nations are entering into more travel partnerships for their populations' advantage and economic growth. As per recent analysis, the global average number of destinations people can visit without visas has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to one hundred nine currently.

For example, The Chinese passport has increased the number of visa-free countries available to its citizens from 50 to 82 in the past decade. As a result, its position in the ranking has enhanced from 94th to 60th during the same time period.

Meanwhile, India – which was ranked 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 the strength of a country's passport, including economic and political conditions plus its openness to welcoming citizens from other countries.

For example, the American passport has dropped out from the top ten currently holding the 12th position – a historic low – due to its more inward-looking approach in global affairs.

The former ambassador mentioned how in the 1970s, Indians enjoyed visa-free travel to numerous European and Western nations, though this shifted following Sikh separatist movement during the eighties. Later political disturbances have further chipped away the country's reputation as a stable democracy.

"Many countries are also becoming increasingly wary of immigrants," he stated. "The country possesses a large quantity of citizens emigrating to other countries or overstaying their visas and that interferes with the national image."

Elements such as how secure a country's passport is 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. In 2024, authorities detained 203 people for alleged passport and visa irregularities. India is also known for complex immigration processes with lengthy timelines of visa processing.

The diplomat indicated that technological advances, such as the newly introduced digital passport or e-passport, can improve security and ease the immigration process. The e-passport contains a small chip that stores biometric data, increasing difficulty to counterfeit or alter the document.

However, more diplomatic outreach and travel agreements continue essential for enhancing international travel freedom for Indian citizens and consequently, the Indian passport's global position.