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Earlier this year, a video by a popular travel content creator expressing frustration over India's weak passport went viral on social media.

He mentioned that while neighbouring countries like Sri Lanka and Bhutan were more welcoming of travelers from India, securing travel permits for visiting most Western and European countries continued to be difficult.

Such concerns regarding India's poor passport strength was reflected in recent global passport ranking, which placed the country in the 85th spot out of 199 countries, a decline of five positions compared to the previous year.

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

Nations including Ghana, Rwanda and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size than India – a nation that is the world's fifth biggest economy – hold better positions in the ranking in the seventies range, in that order.

In fact, the country's position in the past decade has remained around the eighties, falling to ninetieth place in 2021. Such standings appear poor compared to other Asian countries like Japan, South Korea and Singapore, which have consistently held top positions.

What Passport Strength Indicates

Passport strength indicates a nation's soft power and global influence. It also translates into better mobility for passport holders, boosting business and learning opportunities. Limited passport power means more paperwork, increased visa expenses, reduced travel benefits and longer waiting times when journeying.

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

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

The following year, it fell to eighty-fifth place, then rose to eightieth over the past two years, declining once more to the eighty-fifth spot currently. 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.

The Competitive Global Mobility Landscape

The count of nations allowing visa-free entry this year (fifty-seven) is higher than what it was in 2015 (52), but India's rank during both periods is 85. So, why is that?

Experts say that a primary factor involves growing competition in international travel – indicating that countries are forming more travel partnerships to benefit their citizens and economic growth. As per recent analysis, the worldwide mean count of countries travellers are able to access visa-free has almost doubled from fifty-eight nineteen years ago to one hundred nine currently.

As an illustration, The Chinese passport has expanded the number of visa-free destinations available to its citizens from 50 to 82 in the past decade. As a result, its position on the index has enhanced from 94th to 60th during the same time period.

In comparison, India – previously positioned at seventy-seventh place in July – fell to eighty-fifth place in October after losing access of two nations.

Other Influences Affecting Passport Strength

A former Indian ambassador says multiple elements that affect a nation's passport power, like its economic and political stability as well as its openness to accepting travelers from abroad.

For example, the US passport has dropped out of the top 10 currently holding the 12th position – its lowest ever – because of its increasingly insular stance in world politics.

The former ambassador mentioned that during the seventies, Indians enjoyed visa-free travel to many Western and European countries, but that changed following Khalistan movement during the eighties. Later political disturbances 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 large quantity of people migrating overseas or overstaying their visas affecting the national image."

Elements like how secure of a national passport and its immigration procedures also play a role to obtaining visa-free entry to other countries.

Security and Technological Improvements

India's passport remains vulnerable to security threats. Last year, law enforcement arrested over two hundred individuals for alleged visa and passport fraud. India is also known for cumbersome immigration procedures with lengthy timelines for visa approvals.

The diplomat indicated that new technologies, like India's recently-launched electronic passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and streamline immigration. The e-passport contains a small chip holding biometric data, making it harder to counterfeit or alter the document.

However, more diplomatic outreach and travel partnerships remain key for enhancing international travel freedom for Indian citizens and consequently, India's passport ranking.