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Journalism of Courage
World’s Biggest Indian Diaspora: Throughout history, people have been constantly migrating, and today, a record number of individuals reside in countries different from their birthplace.
The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) estimated that there were 281 million international migrants, which accounts for approximately 3.5 per cent of the global population, which is an increase from 2.8 per cent in the year 2000.
India, which has recently surpassed China to become the world’s most populous country, with an estimated population reaching 1.4286 billion (or 142.86 crores) according to the UNFPA 2023, leads the world in emigration—having a massive Indian diaspora across the globe.
In a notable mention, India is the origin of the largest number of international migrants in the world, touching nearly 18 million, according to the UN World Migration Report 2024.
As of May 2024, the total number of overseas Indians worldwide is approximately 35.42 million, which includes about 15.85 million non-resident Indians (NRIs) and nearly 19.57 million individuals of Indian origin (PIOs), according to India’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The United States is home to the largest Indian population in the world, totalling 5.4 million people, which represents approximately 1.6% of the country’s overall population of 345 million.
Notably, Indian immigrants have made significant contributions across various sectors, with over 20 CEOs of Indian origin leading Fortune 500 companies as of 2024.
Among them, Sundar Pichai and Satya Nadella head two of the largest corporations globally, Alphabet and Microsoft, respectively.
Moreover, Southeast and Southwest Asian nations such as Malaysia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Singapore boast some of the largest Indian populations globally due to economic and educational opportunities.
Countries in the Middle East, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait, attract a substantial number of Indian migrants due to their favourable investment and government policies for hiring skilled workers.
Asia Pacific countries like Malaysia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Australia, and Singapore are also home to large Indian populations, driven by economic and educational opportunities.
| Rank | Country | Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) | Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) | Overseas Indian |
| 1 | USA | 2,077,158 | 3,331,904 | 5,409,062 (5.4M) |
| 2 | UAE | 3,554,274 | 14,574 | 3,568,848 (3.6M) |
| 3 | Malaysia | 163,127 | 2,751,000 | 2,914,127 (2.9M) |
| 4 | Canada | 1,016,274 | 1,859,680 | 2,875,954 (2.8M) |
| 5 | Saudi Arabia | 2,460,603 | 2,906 | 2,463,509 (2.5M) |
| 6 | Myanmar | 2,660 | 2,000,000 | 2,002,660 (2.0M) |
| 7 | UK | 369,000 | 1,495,318 | 1,864,318 (1.9M) |
| 8 | South Africa | 60,000 | 1,640,000 | 1,700,000 (1.7M) |
| 9 | Sri Lanka | 7,500 | 1,600,000 | 1,607,500 (1.6M) |
| 10 | Kuwait | 993,284 | 2,244 | 995,528 (996K) |
Source: Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India: Population of Overseas Indians
Please note: The countries with the highest Indian population in the world are ranked in order of the population of overseas Indians (descending order).
