Indians in Spain form one of the smaller populations of the Indian diaspora. According to the statistics of India's Ministry of External Affairs, they number only 35,000, or 0.07% of the population of Spain.[2] 2009 statistics of Spain's Instituto Nacional de Estadística showed 35,686 Indian citizens in Spain; this figure does not include persons of Indian origin holding other citizenships.[3] Most Indians originally migrated to Spain from Africa, while others came from India and even Japan and Southeast Asia.[4] The overwhelming majority of Indians in Spain live in the Barcelona area (over 26,000 as of 2019). [citation needed] According to data from 2021, Indians in Spain number more than 57,000 (0.12% of the total population).[1]
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 57,000+ (2021)[1] | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Madrid, Barcelona, Ceuta, Melilla, Canary Islands, Palma de Mallorca, valencia, girona, alicante | |
| Languages | |
| Spanish, Hindi, Telugu, Kannada, Marathi, Malayalam, Tamil, Sindhi, Punjabi, English, Catalan, Valencian, Basque, Urdu | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Non-resident Indian and Person of Indian Origin, Indian Americans, British Indians |
Migration history
editSindhi traders and shopkeepers thrived in the free ports of the Spanish Canary Islands of Las Palmas and Tenerife following the imposition of import and foreign exchange restrictions in Spain after World War II. They conducted a brisk trade with the North African continent from Las Palmas. When Ceuta and Melilla, parts of Spanish Morocco, were also declared as free ports, Indian businessmen set up trading houses and retail shops catering to the tourist trade.[4]
The next wave of Indians to go to Spain were descendants of Indian labourers from former Spanish colony of Equatorial Guinea. By the mid-seventies, there were over 200 Indian trading houses in Ceuta and Melilla. With the liberalisation in import policies introduced in the eighties, business activity shifted to the port cities of Malaga and Barcelona. Madrid also attracted many Indian businessmen.[4]
Religion
editSindhis and Sikhs form the majority of the Indian community.[4] Spain has recognised three entities of Hinduism.[5] The community celebrates various Indian festivals. Rath Yatras are also taken out by members of the Hare Rama Hare Krishna movement with the enthusiastic support of the Indian community.[4] There are temples in Valencia, Ceuta, and Canary Islands.
Business
editThe Indian community in Spain enjoys a good reputation. Indians are considered hard working, non-political and peaceful. The Indian community has integrated well with Spanish society.[4] There are many Indian restaurants in the island of Mallorca. The majority of Indian people living in Spain have their own business such as stores, restaurants, call centres, grocery stores, clothes store, construction firm, telecommunication shops, bar, dance and Bhangra groups etc.[citation needed]
Currently, the largest Hindu community in Spain is in the Canary Islands,[6] especially on the island of Tenerife.[7][8]
Several electronics and camera stores owned by Indians in the Canary Islands have been accused of being a fraud.[9][10] In 2016 the Danish TV program "Svindlerjagt" (Eng: Swindler Hunt), went to Gran Canaria to expose several electronics stores which scammed Danish customers.[11]
Spanish people of Indian descent
edit- Sagar Prakash Khatnani, born in Tenerife, is a prolific writer of novels.
- Robert Masih Nahar, member of the Spanish senate
- Ma Anand Yashu, flutist
- Vashi Domínguez, entrepreneur
- Raimon Panikkar, priest and advocate of interfaith dialogue
- Prakash Sunderdas, economist and member of Ciudadanos.[12][13]
- Rakesh Narwani, filmmaker
- Abhir Hathi, urbano music artist from the Canary Islands.[14]
See also
editReferences
editNotes
edit- ^ a b "Población (Españoles/Extranjeros) por país de nacimiento y sexo".
- ^ Singhvi 2000, p. 137
- ^ INE 2009
- ^ a b c d e f Singhvi 2000, p. 154
- ^ IRF 2006
- ^ ""Nuestros negocios son ahora las inmobiliarias, la medicina y el derecho"". Web.eldia.es. 16 December 2007. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
- ^ Tenerife, La Opinión de. "Los hindúes honran a sus dioses en Arona". Laopinion.es. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
- ^ Tenerife, La Opinión de. "Vikram Misri: "La comunidad india de Tenerife es una de las mayores del país"". Laopinion.es. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
- ^ "The Tenerife Camera Scam - How it Works". Etenerfife.com. 2 April 2013. Archived from the original on 31 August 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
- ^ "Cheap Electronics in Gran Canaria – A Word of Warning – The Cunning Canary". Cunningcanary.com. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
- ^ "Svindlerjagt - Season 1 - Episode 6 - Kanal 5 (Home) - Dplay -". Dplay.dk. Archived from the original on 30 August 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
- ^ "Piku Sunderdas aclara que no deja la política, ni tampoco Ciudadanos — El Pueblo de Ceuta". Elpueblodeceuta.es. 7 September 2016. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
- ^ Actualidad, Ceuta (17 May 2016). "Sunderdas será el candidato de Ciudadanos al Congreso". Ceuta Actualidad. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
- ^ "Abhir Hathi entre chulería y tristeza". Metal Magazine. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
Sources
edit- Singhvi, L. M. (2000), "Other Countries of Europe" (PDF), Report of the High Level Committee on the Indian Diaspora, New Delhi: Ministry of External Affairs, pp. 133–156, archived from the original (PDF) on 17 April 2003, retrieved 29 January 2008
- "Spain", International Religious Freedom Report, United States: Department of State, 2006
- "Población extranjera por sexo, país de nacionalidad y edad (hasta 85 y más).", Avance del Padrón a 1 de enero de 2009. Datos provisionales, Spain: Instituto Nacional de Estadística, 2009, archived from the original on 14 December 2009, retrieved 13 June 2009
