Reaching South Asians is a mission priority. Not only did India pass up China in 2023 as the world’s most populated country, but it is also home the greatest concentration of unreached people groups. In recent years, there has been a resurgence in Hindu fundamentalism and increased persecution of both Christians and Muslims in India.
South Asians also represent one of the most expansive diaspora peoples in the world. During the first decade of the 21st Century, the Indian community in the United States increased by 70%. The United States is the 3rd most popular destination for Indian migrants worldwide and reaching out to migrants from South Asia should be a diaspora missions priority.
Philadelphia is another significant hub for South Asian communities in the U.S. Indians are the second largest Asian population in Philly. In addition to approximately 7000 Bangladeshis and 25,000 Pakistanis in the Philly area, there are over 25,000 Hindi, 35,000 Gujarati, 10,000 Tamil as well as 10,000 Punjabi Sikhs in Metro Philadelphia. Estimates suggest there are about 137,000 Indians alone in Philadelphia, and the actual number is likely higher. The City of Brotherly Love represents another metropolitan concentration of South Asian Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs living & working in North America.
The unreached peoples of South Asia represent a mission priority, but those communities are not just in India. Many are residents of city and suburbs of Philadelphia.
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