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Earlier this year, a video from an Indian travel influencer complaining about the limited power of the Indian passport gained massive traction on social media.

The influencer stated that while nearby nations such as Bhutan and Sri Lanka were more welcoming of travelers from India, securing travel permits for visiting most Western and European countries remained a challenge.

Such concerns regarding the limited global access of Indian passports was reflected in recent global passport ranking, ranking India at position eighty-five among nearly two hundred nations, five spots lower compared to the previous year.

The Indian government have not issued a statement on the report so far.

Countries like Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size than India – a nation that is the world's fifth biggest economy – are ranked higher in the ranking in the seventies range, in that order.

Actually, the country's position over the last ten years has remained around the eighties, falling to ninetieth place two years ago. Such standings appear poor when measured against Asian nations like Japan, South Korea and Singapore, all maintaining leading ranks.

What Passport Strength Measures

The power of a passport indicates a country's global influence and international standing. This leads to enhanced travel freedom for its citizens, improving commercial and learning opportunities. Limited passport power means additional documentation, increased visa expenses, reduced travel benefits and longer waiting times when journeying.

However, even with the decline in the rank, the number of countries providing visa-free travel for Indian citizens has grown in the past decade or so.

As an instance, in 2014 – when the current administration's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power – fifty-two nations offered visa-free travel for Indian passport holders and its passport ranked 76th on the index.

A year later, it tumbled to eighty-fifth place, then rose to 80th over the past two years, declining once more to the 85th position this year. At the same time, countries allowing visa-free travel for Indians grew from 52 in 2015 to 60 in 2023 and sixty-two this year.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

The count of visa-free destinations this year (57) is higher than the number eight years ago (fifty-two), yet the country's position during both periods is 85. What explains this situation?

Experts say that a major reason is the increasingly competitive landscape in international travel – meaning nations are forming more travel partnerships for their populations' advantage and their economies. According to 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, China has expanded its count of visa-free destinations its citizens can travel to from 50 to 82 over the last ten years. Consequently, its rank in the ranking has enhanced from 94th to 60th during the same time period.

In comparison, The Indian passport – previously positioned 77th on the index in July – fell to eighty-fifth place this autumn after losing access to two countries.

Other Influences Impacting Passport Power

An ex-diplomat from India notes multiple elements influencing a nation's passport power, like its economic and political stability plus its openness to welcoming citizens from abroad.

For example, the American passport has dropped out of the top 10 and now occupies the 12th position – a historic low – due to its increasingly insular stance in world politics.

The former ambassador recalls 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 continued to damage the country's reputation as a stable democracy.

"Numerous nations are also becoming increasingly wary regarding migrants," he stated. "India has a large quantity of people migrating to other countries or remaining beyond visa limits affecting the country's reputation."

Factors like the security level of a national passport and immigration processes also contribute in gaining visa-free entry to other countries.

Enhanced Security Measures

India's passport remains vulnerable to security risks. Last year, law enforcement detained over two hundred individuals for alleged visa and passport fraud. The country also has cumbersome immigration procedures with lengthy timelines of visa processing.

The former ambassador indicated that technological advances, like India's recently-launched digital passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and ease the immigration process. This electronic document contains a small chip holding biometric information, making it harder to counterfeit or alter the document.

However, increased diplomatic efforts and travel partnerships remain key for enhancing the global mobility of Indians and, by extension, India's passport ranking.