New Delhi: People have been migrating from one place to another for ages. They migrate from their birthplace to various places for various reasons, such as studying or finding jobs.
The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) found that there are 281 million international migrants. This number is about 3.5 per cent of the world’s population. This is an increase from 2.8 per cent in the year 2000.
Many people from India now live in other countries. The number of Indian people living abroad is growing. The term “Indian diaspora” refers to those who have left India to live in other parts of the world, either for a short time or permanently. The diaspora includes:
Non-resident Indians (NRIs): Indian citizens living outside of India.
Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs): People of Indian descent who hold citizenship in another country.
Overseas Citizens of India (OCI): This group includes both PIOs and OCI cardholders.
In this article, we will explore the top 10 countries that have the largest Indian diaspora.
Top 10 Countries with the Largest Indian Populations
Rank
Country
Overseas Indian
Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs)
Non-Resident Indians (NRIs)
1
USA
5,409,062 (5.4M)
3331904
2077158
2
UAE
3,568,848 (3.6M)
14574
3554274
3
Malaysia
2,914,127 (2.9M)
2751000
163127
4
Canada
2,875,954 (2.8M)
1859680
1016274
5
Saudi Arabia
2,463,509 (2.5M)
2906
2460603
6
Myanmar
2,002,660 (2.0M)
2000000
2660
7
UK
1,864,318 (1.9M)
1495318
369000
8
South Africa
1,700,000 (1.7M)
1640000
60000
9
Sri Lanka
1,607,500 (1.6M)
1600000
7500
10
Kuwait
995,528 (996K)
2244
993284
Source: Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India: Population of Overseas Indians
As of May 2024, there are about 35.42 million overseas Indians around the world. This includes around 15.85 million non-resident Indians (NRIs) and nearly 19.57 million people of Indian origin (PIOs), according to India’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The United States has the largest Indian population, with 5.4 million people. This is about 1.6 per cent of the total US population of 345 million.
Southeast and Southwest Asian countries like Malaysia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Singapore also have large Indian populations. Many people move there for better job and education opportunities.
In the Middle East, countries like the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait attract many Indian workers. These countries offer good policies for hiring skilled workers and encourage investment.
In the Asia Pacific region, Malaysia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Australia, and Singapore have significant Indian populations as well, also driven by job and education opportunities.
The global Indian diaspora number is approximately 35.42 million. This article explores the top 10 countries hosting the largest Indian populations, highlighting the significant presence in the US, Middle East, and Asia-Pacific regions, driven primarily by job and education opportunities. knowledge Knowledge News, Photos and Videos on General Knowledge
