 | |
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 1,825[1] | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Mostly concentrated in urban areas such as:Guadalajara,Mexico City,Monterrey,Hermosillo,Mexicali,Tijuana, coastal region ofMichoacán,Isthmus of Tehuantepec | |
| Languages | |
| English,Mexican Spanish,Malayalam,Kannada,Marathi,Punjabi,Tamil,Bengali,Gujarati,Hindi, otherLanguages of India | |
| Religion | |
| |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| OtherAsian Mexicans,Indian diaspora,Punjabi Mexican Americans,Romani Mexicans |
Indian Mexicans areMexican citizens who are descendants of migrants fromIndia.
The first Indians arrived in Mexico during thecolonial era. During this period, thousands of Asians arrived via theManila galleons, some of them as slaves termedchinos orindios chinos (lit. 'Chinese', regardless of actual ethnicity). The first record of an Asian in Mexico is from 1540; an enslaved cook originating fromCalicut.[2] The best known "china" wasCatarina de San Juan, a girl captured by Portuguese slave traders inCochin.
In 1923, immigration of ethnic Indians was secretly prohibited (along with other ethnicities as well).[3] The ban was kept confidential in order to avoid diplomatic problems with theBritish Empire. This ban, along with similar bans based on ethnicity, was eliminated by a 1947 law that prohibited racial discrimination.[3]
Most of the Indians in Mexico are recent arrivals in the country and most of them have settled inGuadalajara andMexico City. Mexico has anon-discriminatory policy with regard to the grant of its citizenship. The spouse of a Mexican national would generally not face any problem in acquiring local citizenship. Although a few of theNRIs have married Mexicans, they have retained their Indian citizenship.
Indian Mexicans are mainly businessmen or professionals. Many of them work with one or other international organization or amultinational corporation. There are also some academicians and scientists among them. They have helped to bring about greater mutual understanding between India and their host country. Some of the Indians work for "ISPAT Mexicana" which is part of theLaxmi Mittal group, well known in this region for having turned around a sinking steel company inLázaro Cárdenas.TATA Consulting also has a huge investment with offices inGuadalajara.
According to theIndian Ministry of External Affairs, there were about 2,000 Indians living in Mexico as of March 2011.[4] In December 2018, the ministry estimated there are about 6,500 people of Indian descent.[5] In 2020, there were 2,656 people from Indian origin in Mexico, according to theCenso General de Población y Vivienda, by theNational Institute of Statistics and Geography.[6]
The main Indian community organisation is the Indian Women's Association of Mexico (IWAM) in Mexico City. It celebrates important festivals and organises cultural programmes. ASai Baba temple, aVaishnav temple and aGurudwara have also been constructed by Sangam Organisation in Mexico City.
InTijuana,Hinduism is practiced in diverse ways among both Indian-origin Hindus and local converts. Some cross over toSan Diego to access religious products andHindu temples, while others practice at home with small altars. This adaptability allows them to adjust rituals to new realities, influencing gender roles and relationships with their countries of origin and residence.[6]
Indian andBritish diaspora members have been noted for re-establishingcricket in Mexico in modern times.[7]
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