People group profile · PG048724
The East Indians of Jamaica
The East Indians of Jamaica, numbering about 25,500 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a Caribbean people of Indian ancestry whose forebears arrived as indentured laborers from South Asia. They speak the dominant regional languages and maintain cultural traditions influenced by Hindu, Muslim, and broader Indo-Caribbean heritage.
They are an indigenous people in the Indo-Caribbean people cluster of the Latin American and Caribbean Peoples. Their primary religion is Roman Catholicism, and they primarily speak Hindi.
Fast facts
- Country
- Jamaica
- Population
- 25,500
- Affinity group
- South Asian Peoples
- People cluster
- Indo-Caribbean
- Primary language
- Hindi (hin)
- Primary religion
- Roman Catholicism
- Strategic Progress Index
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority
- Pioneer Unreached People Group
- Region
- Caribbean, Americas
Where they live
Gospel status
The East Indians are Engaged yet Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, but there are sustained efforts to establish self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice. In GSEC terms, this people group is less than 2% evangelical, some evangelical resources are available, but there has been no active church planting among them within the past two years.
- Congregations exist Yes
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the East Indians
- Continue prayer and fasting for this group
- Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group
- Begin training up local leaders to lead and develop strategies to reach their own people
Primary religion
Roman Catholicism · Christianity
97% adherents
Primary language
Hindi · Indo-European family
100% speak Hindi
Gospel resources in Hindi
- Bible available
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- JESUS (Hindi)
- Magdalena (Hindi)
- The Savior (Hindi)
Bibles
- Easy-to-Read Version · audio, text
- Indian Revised Version (OT - Davar Audio) · audio
- New Hindi Version · video
- New Hindi Version - LUMO Christmas Film · video
- New Hindi Version - LUMO Easter Film · video
- Sab Ki · audio, text
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the East Indians
- Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
- 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.
- Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
- Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
East Indian in other countries
The same people (ROP3 102818) is reported in 11 other countries.
| People group | Country | Population | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Indians | Trinidad and Tobago | 133,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| East Indians | Belize | 12,000 | Unengaged and Unreached |
| East Indians | Saint Lucia | 5,500 | Unengaged and Unreached |
| East Indians | Grenada | 4,700 | Unengaged and Unreached |
| East Indians | Chile | 3,900 | Unengaged and Unreached |
| East Indians | Barbados | 3,900 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| East Indians | Argentina | 2,700 | Unengaged and Unreached |
| East Indians | Brazil | 2,400 | Unengaged and Unreached |
| East Indians | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 1,500 | Unengaged and Unreached |
| East Indians | Guatemala | 700 | Unengaged and Unreached |
| East Indians | Venezuela | 500 | Unengaged and Unreached |
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