MEA data highlights top seven destinations for Indians living abroad, reflecting growing global mobility and longstanding migration trends
The United States is home to the world’s largest overseas Indian community, according to the latest data released by India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), reaffirming the country’s position as the leading destination for Indian migrants and people of Indian origin. The updated figures show that Indians have established thriving communities across North America, the Gulf, Europe and Southeast Asia.
The MEA estimates that more than 37 million Indians and people of Indian origin now live outside India, making the Indian diaspora the largest in the world. The overseas population comprises both Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), who retain Indian citizenship, and Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs), whose families migrated abroad over earlier generations.
According to the latest official data, the seven countries with the largest Indian diaspora are the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Canada, Myanmar and the United Kingdom. These countries have attracted Indians through a combination of employment opportunities, higher education, business prospects and historic migration patterns.
The Gulf region continues to be a major destination for Indian workers, with the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia hosting millions employed across construction, healthcare, engineering, retail and financial services. Meanwhile, countries such as the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom have seen sustained growth in skilled professionals, entrepreneurs, researchers and students from India.
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Malaysia and Myanmar remain among the countries with longstanding Indian-origin communities, reflecting migration that dates back more than a century
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Today, these communities continue to play important roles in business, public life and cultural exchange while maintaining close links with India
The latest rankings underline the global reach of the Indian diaspora and its growing contribution to the economies and societies of host nations, while also strengthening India’s trade, investment, cultural and diplomatic ties with countries around the world.
