Indians

Indians is a term with two primary sensibilities depending on context. In everyday usage, it denotes people from the Republic of India or its diaspora. In historical and anthropological contexts, it has also referred to Indigenous peoples of the Americas, a usage that is now commonly replaced by terms such as Indigenous peoples or by the specific nation or community name.

Indians as citizens of the Republic of India describe a population of extraordinary linguistic, religious, and cultural diversity. India is a federal parliamentary republic with 28 states and eight union territories. It has a large and rapidly growing economy and a population of more than a billion people. The Constitution recognizes 22 scheduled languages, with Hindi and English serving as official languages for national administration. Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Sikhism, Buddhism, Jainism, and other faiths are practiced widely, reflecting broad religious plurality. The country comprises numerous ethnic groups, regions, and traditions, contributing to a rich cultural mosaic.

Indigenous peoples of the Americas refers to the hundreds of distinct nations and communities across North, Central, and South America. These groups have diverse languages, social structures, and cultural practices, such as the Navajo, Quechua-speaking peoples, Maya, Guarani, and Mapuche, among many others. In the United States, the term American Indian has historical usage; in Canada and elsewhere, terms like Indigenous peoples or the specific nation name are often preferred. Contemporary issues commonly addressed include land rights, self-determination, language preservation, treaty relationships, and protection of cultural heritage, often under international frameworks that emphasize Indigenous rights.

The term Indians can thus refer to both a nationality and a set of Indigenous identities, requiring careful context and respectful language.