Indian Singaporeans

Indian Singaporeans are Singaporeans of Indian or broader South Asian ancestry. As of the 2020 census, they constitute approximately 9.0% of the country's residents, representing the third largest ethnic group in Singapore. In Singapore, "Indian" is an umbrella term defined in both geographical and ethnic-cultural contexts as pertaining to South Asia and bears no necessary relation to the contemporary Republic of India. Some Singaporeans of South Asian ancestry would simply just consider themselves "Singaporean", viewing themselves as distinct from the "India Indians" in terms of culture, identity and social reality.

The historical presence of ancient India influenced the indigenous Malay culture long before the founding of modern Singapore by the British Empire in 1819. Early Indian settlement was largely transient, composed primarily of male workers and soldiers. By the mid-20th century, however, the community had become more established, exhibiting a balanced gender ratio and a diversified age distribution. This period marked the emergence of a cohesive Indian Singaporean identity within the evolving social fabric of the island.

Indian Singaporeans are linguistically and religiously heterogeneous, with ethnic Tamils forming about half of the community. Over two centuries, Indian Singaporean culture has evolved distinctly from contemporary South Asian cultures, with its elements increasingly integrated into the broader Singaporean culture, alongside influences from the Chinese and Malay communities. Individuals of Indian descent have historically contributed prominently to national life, with representation in politics, education, diplomacy, law and sports.