Afghans in India
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| (10,000) | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Delhi, Kolkata | |
| Languages | |
| Hindi · Urdu · others | |
| Religion | |
| Hinduism · Sikhism · Islam · Christianity | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
|
Afghan diaspora, Pashtun diaspora, Rohilla, Pathans of Uttar Pradesh, Pathans of Gujarat and several Pathan communities in India. |
Afghan diaspora, Pashtun diaspora, Rohilla, Pathans of Uttar Pradesh, Pathans of Gujarat and
Afghan refugees in India are a community numbering up to 10,000. Most are recent Hindu and Sikh refugees who fled the Taliban regime and political instability in Afghanistan; they are concentrated in and around Delhi. Muslim families account for about 10% of Afghan nationals in India, although recent migration has seen a boost in numbers.
Apart from citizens and expatriates, there are hundreds of communities in India who trace their ancestries back to Pashtun forefathers. Before the creation of the modern state of Afghanistan, the term Afghan was used synonymously with Pashtun, and there has been much history of Pashtuns that have lived in India. There are an estimate of 10,000 Pashtuns in India. Thousands of Pashtun descent Indians migrated to Pakistan after the partition.
Currently are a few ethnic Pashtuns that have retained their culture in India. Most have integrated into Indian culture. There's a sizable number Pashtuns in Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir.The North-Western Frontier Province (now called Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) was incorporated into British India in the late 19th century.
The earliest record of Afghans in India is during the late 13th century when the Khilji dynasty formed an empire in Northern India. They belonged to a Turkic tribe but were treated by Rulers as Afghans due to their adoption of some Afghan habits and customs. The Lodi dynasty was made up of local ethnic Pashtuns. They ruled Northern India until the invasion of Babur in 1526, at which point the Mughal Empire was created. During this period Afghans from Kabulistan began arriving to India for business and pleasure. The Sur Empire replaced the Mughal Empire from 1540 to 1557. Rulers of Sur Empire were also Pashtuns. Other Pashtuns began invading India until the Sikh Empire came to power with the help of the British Empire. This formed a barrier between Afghanistan (Durrani Empire) and British India. Afghans were required visas to enter India after this period.
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