Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday questioned the Narendra Modi-led government's assertions of improved global standing, alleging that official data on passport rankings, tourism, and visa services contradicted those claims.
Passport Ranking Decline
Citing international passport indices, Kharge stated that India slipped from 74th position in 2013 to 80th in June 2026 in one global passport ranking. He also referenced another index placing India at 125th in 2026. The Congress chief argued that these figures undermine PM Modi's 2018 statement that Indians traveling abroad were witnessing the “respect and strength” of the Indian passport.
Increased Passport Fees
Kharge alleged that instead of improving services, the government raised passport costs. He claimed the fee increased from Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,500, while Tatkal charges rose to Rs 5,000. He questioned the affordability and efficiency of the system.
Tourism Recovery Stalled
On tourism, Kharge noted that foreign tourist arrivals had not returned to pre-pandemic levels, declining from 10.93 million in 2019 to 9.95 million in 2024. He suggested that the government might be masking the shortfall by combining NRI arrivals with foreign tourist data.
Outdated Visa System
The Congress president also criticized India's online visa application system as outdated, stating it did not reflect the country's “Atithi Devo Bhava” ethos. He argued that weak passports, unrecovered tourism, lackluster visa services, and higher costs for substandard services contradicted claims of global respect.
Impact on Global Reputation
Kharge alleged that the Modi government's policies had damaged India's global reputation. “If the passport is weaker, tourism has not recovered, visa services are lacklustre and citizens are paying more for substandard services, then where exactly is this much-advertised global respect?” he said, according to the report.
