Overview: The South Asian Peoples affinity bloc encompasses the populations of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bhutan. This region contains extraordinary ethnic, linguistic, religious, and social complexity, with hundreds of languages from Indo-Aryan and Dravidian families, and major religions including Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, Sikhism, Christianity, and Jainism. A defining feature, particularly in India and Nepal, is the caste system—a complex social hierarchy that profoundly shapes identity, opportunity, and social relationships. Understanding South Asian peoples requires consideration of ethnicity, language, and religion, but also caste structures that cut across these categories. The region presents significant challenges and opportunities for Christian missio. It contains more unevangelized individuals and people groups than any other region, yet in some communities the Church is growing vigorously. This paradox reflects the bloc's immense diversity and complexity.

  ROP Editor

People clusters: Ansari; Arain; Assamese; Badhai; Bania; Banjara; Bengali; Bhil; Bhoi; Bhojpur-Maithili; Bihari; Brahmin; Brahui; Chamar; Darzi; Dhobi; Dusadh; Gond; Gujarati; Gujjar; Hindi; Jat; Jogi; Kahar; Kanarese; Kapu; Kashmiri; Kayastha; Kshatriya; Kumhar; Kurmi; Malayali; Maldivian; Mali; Mallah; Marathi-Konkani; Munda-Santal; Nai; Nair; Namasudra; Nepali-Pahari; Odia; Other South Asian; Pasi; Punjabi; Rajasthani; Rajput; Sayyid; Shaikh; Sindhi; Sinhala; Sonar; South Asian Buddhist; South Asian Christian; South Asian Jain; South Asian Sikh; South Asian Tribal; Tamboli; Tamil; Tangsa Naga; Teli; Telugu; Urdu; Valmiki; Vanniyan; Viswakarma; Vokkaliga; Yadav

Countries where they are found: Afghanistan; Antigua and Barbuda; Australia; Bahrain; Bangladesh; Belgium; Bhutan; Brunei; Burundi; Cambodia; Canada; Christmas Island; Denmark; Fiji; France; Germany; Guadeloupe; Guyana; Hong Kong; India; Iran; Iraq; Ireland; Israel; Italy; Japan; Kenya; Kuwait; Libya; Madagascar; Malawi; Malaysia; Maldives; Martinique; Mauritius; Mozambique; Myanmar; Nepal; Netherlands; New Zealand; Oman; Pakistan; Panama; Portugal; Qatar; Reunion; Rwanda; Saudi Arabia; Seychelles; Singapore; South Africa; South Korea; Spain; Sri Lanka; Tanzania; Thailand; Türkiye; Uganda; United Arab Emirates; United Kingdom; United States; Zambia; Zimbabwe