Largest Indian Diaspora in the World: Throughout history, people have constantly migrated, and today, record numbers of people live in countries different from their birthplace.
The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) estimated that there were 281 million international migrants, about 3.5 percent of the global population, an increase of 2.8 percent in 2000.
With a population estimated to reach 1.4286 billion (or 142.86 crore) according to UNFPA 2023, India has recently overtaken China to become the world’s most populous country, leading the world in migration with a large Indian diaspora around the world.
On a notable note, according to the United Nations World Migration Report 2024, India is the source of the largest number of international migrants in the world, which is around 18 million.
As of May 2024, the total number of overseas Indians worldwide is about 35.42 million, including about 15.85 million Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) and about 19.57 million Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs), according to India’s Ministry of External Affairs.
Top 10 Countries with Largest Indian Population in the World (as of May 2024)
The United States is home to the largest Indian population in the world, totaling 5.4 million people, representing about 1.6% of the country’s total population of 345 million.
Notably, Indian immigrants have contributed significantly across sectors with over 20 CEOs of Indian origin leading Fortune 500 companies by 2024.
Among them, Sundar Pichai and Satya Nadella head two of the world’s largest corporations, Alphabet and Microsoft respectively.
India Day Parade Ceremony in NYC (Source: Consulate General of India, New York (USA))
Moreover, Southeast and Southwest Asian nations such as Malaysia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Singapore boast the largest Indian populations globally due to economic and educational opportunities.
Countries in the Middle East including UAE, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait attract a substantial number of Indian expatriates due to favorable investment and government policies to recruit skilled workers.
Asia Pacific countries such as Malaysia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Australia and Singapore are also home to large Indian populations driven by economic and educational opportunities.
Source: Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India: Population of Overseas Indians
Please note: Countries with the largest Indian population in the world are ranked by population of overseas Indians.
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