Indian Spaniards
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Indian Spaniards |
|---|
| Total population |
|
23.296 (INE, 2006) |
| Regions with significant populations |
| Madrid, Malaga, Barcelona, Ceuta, Melilla |
| Languages |
| Spanish, Catalan, English, Hindi, Punjabi, and other Indian languages |
| Religions |
| Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Christianity |
| Related ethnic groups |
| Romani (Gypsies), Indian peoples |
Indian Spaniards (Spanish: Indio-Españoles) are Spanish citizens who have ancestry in India.
The first Indians to go to Spain were descendants of Indian laborers 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, businessactivity shifted to the port cities of Malaga and Barcelona. Madrid also attracted many Indian businessmen.
The 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. Sindhis and Sikhs form the majority of the Indian community. 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.[1]
