Religious Composition of Indian Emigrants Varies Significantly from National Average, Pew Study Reveals

The religious composition of Indians who emigrate shows a stark contrast to those who remain in India, according to an analysis by the Pew Research Center, based in the United States. While approximately 80% of India’s population identifies as Hindu, they account for only 41% of the country’s emigrants. This significant difference highlights a unique migration pattern among Indian religious groups.

On the other hand, Muslims, who make up about 15% of India’s population, represent 33% of those born in India but now living abroad. Christians, a smaller minority in India at just 2%, are notably overrepresented among Indian emigrants, making up 16% of those who have left the country. “Many more Muslims and Christians have left India than have moved there,” noted Stephanie Kramer, the lead researcher of the analysis. She added, “People of other, smaller religions, like Sikhs and Jains, are also disproportionately likely to have left India.”

Globally, over 280 million people, or 3.6% of the world’s population, are classified as international migrants. According to Pew Research Center’s analysis, as of 2020, Christians comprised 47% of the global migrant population, followed by Muslims at 29%, Hindus at 5%, Buddhists at 4%, and Jews at 1%. The analysis also found that 13% of global migrants are religiously unaffiliated, including atheists and agnostics.

The analysis included anyone living outside their birthplace, regardless of age or when they were born, as long as they are still alive. When it comes to India, the religious composition of people who have migrated to the country closely resembles that of India’s overall population.

Interestingly, Hindus are notably underrepresented among international migrants, accounting for just 5% of global migrants compared to their 15% share of the world population. This underrepresentation is attributed to the fact that Hindus are largely concentrated in India, with people born in India being less likely to emigrate. “This seems to be because Hindus are so concentrated in India, and people born in India are very unlikely to leave,” Ms. Kramer explained. She further noted, “More people who were born in India are living elsewhere than from any other country of origin, but these millions of emigrants represent a small fraction of India’s population.”

As of 2010, 99% of Hindus lived in Asia, mostly in India and Nepal. Researchers do not expect this percentage to decrease significantly in the future. Since the partition of India in 1947, the country has not experienced a mass migration event, and many who migrated at that time are no longer alive. “In contrast, other religious groups are more dispersed globally and face more push factors that drive emigration,” Ms. Kramer added.

This raises the question: are Hindus a global outlier when it comes to migration? According to researchers, Hindus indeed stand out compared to other religious groups. “They’re less likely to leave home than people of other faiths, and their global migration patterns mostly depend on who leaves and arrives in India, rather than a broad collection of countries like other major religions,” said Ms. Kramer.

Another interesting finding from the analysis is that Hindus have the longest average migration distance, traveling an average of 4,988 kilometers (3,100 miles). This distance is often covered when moving from India to distant countries like the United States and the United Kingdom. Researchers suggest that the lack of recent crises forcing Hindus to flee to nearby countries plays a role in this. Instead, most Hindu emigrants are economic migrants seeking better job opportunities in distant locations.

India is not the only country with an emigrant population that differs religiously from those still living in the country. The survey highlights that Hindus are overrepresented among emigrants from Bangladesh as well. While fewer than 10% of Bangladesh’s residents are Hindu, they account for 21% of those who have left the country. Conversely, Muslims make up around 90% of Bangladesh’s population but represent only 67% of its emigrants.

Similarly, in Pakistan, Hindus constitute only about 2% of the population, yet 8% of those who were born in Pakistan and now live elsewhere are Hindu. In Myanmar, Muslims make up 4% of the resident population but 36% of the emigrant population, reflecting a similar trend of religious minorities being more likely to migrate.

The Pew report provides valuable insights into the religious composition of the world’s migrants. It reveals that people often migrate to places where their religion is more prevalent, and that those from minority religious groups within their country of birth are more inclined to emigrate. “We find that people often go to places where their religion is common, and that those from minority religious groups within their country of birth are more likely to leave,” concluded Ms. Kramer.