The Need
India is home to more than a billion people. Many live in poverty, face disease, or have little access to the gospel. These figures show the size of that need.
The scale
About one in six people alive today lives in India.
1.46 billion
People in India
The World Bank estimate for 2025.
World Bank Open Data, 2026 (opens in a new tab)64%
Live in rural areas
More than 900 million people, in 2025.
World Bank Open Data, 2026 (opens in a new tab)600,000+
Villages
Counted at the 2011 census, with 7,933 towns.
Census of India 2011 (Registrar General), 2026 (opens in a new tab)121
Languages
Each with more than 10,000 speakers.
Census of India 2011, Language Atlas, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
Gospel reach
India has the largest unreached population on earth.
2,033
Unreached people groups
Of 2,263 people groups in India.
Joshua Project, 2026 (opens in a new tab)95.9%
Of Indians live in an unreached group
That is 1.41 billion people.
Joshua Project, 2026 (opens in a new tab)2.3%
Christian
27.8 million people at the 2011 census.
Census of India 2011 (Registrar General), via Press Information Bureau, 2026 (opens in a new tab)120 of 210
Languages without a full Bible
Of India’s 210 main languages.
Joshua Project language table for India, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
Andhra Pradesh
One of the states where the ministry’s work is documented.
49.4 million
People in Andhra Pradesh
At the 2011 census, within today’s borders.
Census of India 2011 (Office of the Registrar General); Joshua Project, 2026 (opens in a new tab)303
Unreached people groups in the state
Of 320 people groups in Andhra Pradesh.
Joshua Project, 2026 (opens in a new tab)1.2%
Christian
The 2011 census found 1.34% for the undivided state.
Joshua Project, 2026 (opens in a new tab)67.0%
Literacy
Against 73.0% for India, in 2011.
Census of India 2011 (Registrar General), via Economic Survey statistical appendix, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
Poverty and hardship
India is still home to one of the largest groups of poor people in the world.
232 million
People living in poverty
16.4% of Indians, measured by health, schooling and living standards.
UNDP and OPHI, Global Multidimensional Poverty Index 2025 (opens in a new tab)5.3%
Below the extreme poverty line
Under $3.00 a day in 2022 — about 75 million people.
World Bank Open Data, 2026 (opens in a new tab)35.5%
Of children under five are stunted
Too short for their age from poor nutrition.
World Bank Open Data (National Family Health Survey), 2026 (opens in a new tab)7.4%
Of Indian women are widowed
Against 2.0% of men, at the 2011 census.
Census of India 2011 (Registrar General), via Press Information Bureau, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
Leprosy
Leprosy is curable, yet India reports more new cases than the rest of the world combined.
100,957
New cases in India in 2024
Reported to the World Health Organization.
WHO Global Health Observatory, 2026 (opens in a new tab)58%
Of the world’s new cases
India’s share of 172,717 new cases in 2024.
WHO Global Health Observatory, 2026 (opens in a new tab)9,397
Children among new cases worldwide
A sign the disease is still spreading.
WHO Global Leprosy Update 2024 (Weekly Epidemiological Record), reported by ILEP, 2026 (opens in a new tab)Free
The cure costs nothing
Multidrug therapy has been free worldwide since 2000.
World Health Organization leprosy fact sheet, January 23, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
What our ministry is doing about it
See our impact in India.
Sources
- Joshua Project (opens in a new tab)
- Census of India 2011, Office of the Registrar General (opens in a new tab)
- Press Information Bureau, Government of India (opens in a new tab)
- World Bank Open Data (opens in a new tab)
- UNDP and OPHI, Global Multidimensional Poverty Index 2025 (opens in a new tab)
- World Health Organization (opens in a new tab)
- ILEP Federation (opens in a new tab)
- Economic Survey statistical appendix, Government of India (opens in a new tab)