The Reasons Behind the National Passport Continues to Drop in Worldwide Standing

Earlier this year, an online clip by an Indian travel influencer expressing frustration over India's weak passport went viral across digital platforms.

The influencer stated that while nearby nations such as Sri Lanka and Bhutan were more welcoming to travelers from India, obtaining visas to travel to many nations in Europe and the West remained a challenge.

This dissatisfaction regarding India's poor passport strength was reflected in the latest global passport ranking, ranking the country at position eighty-five out of 199 countries, five spots lower compared to the previous year.

Officials in India has not commented on the report yet.

Countries like Rwanda, Ghana and Azerbaijan despite smaller economic size compared to India – a nation that is the world's fifth biggest economy – hold better positions on the index in the seventies range, respectively.

In fact, India's rank over the last ten years has hovered around the eighties, falling to ninetieth place two years ago. Such standings are dismal compared to Asian nations such as Singapore, Japan and South Korea, which have consistently held leading ranks.

Global Passport Power Indicates

Passport strength reflects a nation's soft power and global influence. This leads to better mobility for passport holders, improving commercial 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 decline in the rank, the number of countries providing visa-free travel to Indians has actually increased in the past decade or so.

As an instance, eight years ago – when the current administration's ruling party came to power – fifty-two nations provided visa-free access for Indian passport holders and its passport at seventy-sixth position on the index.

A year later, it fell to eighty-fifth place, then rose to 80th over the past two years, dropping again to the 85th position currently. Meanwhile, visa-free destinations for Indians grew from fifty-two eight years ago to sixty last year and sixty-two this year.

Increasing Worldwide Travel Competition

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

Analysts note that a primary factor involves growing competition in global mobility – meaning countries are forming additional travel agreements to benefit their citizens and their economies. According to 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 one hundred nine currently.

For example, China has increased the number of visa-free countries its citizens can travel to from fifty to eighty-two in the past decade. As a result, its rank on the index has improved from 94th to 60th during the same time period.

In comparison, India – previously positioned at seventy-seventh place in July – dropped to the 85th position in October following the loss to two countries.

Other Influences Affecting Passport Strength

An ex-diplomat from India says there are other factors that affect a nation's passport power, including economic and political conditions as well as its receptiveness to welcoming citizens from abroad.

For example, the US passport has fallen of the top 10 currently holding the 12th position – a historic low – because of its more inward-looking approach in world politics.

The former ambassador mentioned how in the 1970s, Indians enjoyed visa-free access to numerous European and Western nations, but that changed after the Sikh separatist movement in the 1980s. Subsequent political upheavals have further chipped away the country's reputation as a stable, democratic country.

"Numerous nations are also becoming more cautious of immigrants," he stated. "The country possesses a large quantity of people migrating overseas or remaining beyond visa limits and that interferes with the country's reputation."

Factors like the security level a country's passport is and its immigration procedures also contribute to obtaining visa-free access to foreign nations.

Enhanced Security Measures

The Indian passport remains vulnerable to security risks. Last year, law enforcement detained over two hundred individuals for suspected visa and passport fraud. The country also has cumbersome immigration procedures and a slow pace for visa approvals.

The former ambassador says that new technologies, such as the newly introduced digital passport or e-passport, may enhance safety and streamline immigration. This electronic document contains a small chip holding biometric data, making it harder to forge or tamper with the passport.

But, more diplomatic outreach and travel agreements remain key for enhancing international travel freedom of Indians and, by extension, the Indian passport's global position.