The Ancient Hindu Diaspora

Today, we pause to reflect on the Ancient Hindu Diaspora—a movement that began largely after Jesus gave His disciples the command:“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…” (Matthew 28:19–20)

In the centuries following Jesus’ Great Commission, various forms of Hinduism began to spread beyond the Indian subcontinent. While some influence reached westward into regions like modern-day Afghanistan, the greater movement of this early diaspora traveled east, deeply impacting what is now Southeast Asia. 

Over time, Hindu communities became so embedded in these lands that they are now considered part of the native religious and cultural fabric.

As early as the first few centuries AD, maritime trade routes carried South Asian goods, stories, and spiritual practices to the shores of present-day Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. Over land, Hindu influence extended through modern-day Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam, blending with local traditions along the way.

Rather than mass migrations, this diaspora was characterized by small groups—traders, sailors, priests, and pundits—who brought with them religious texts, cultural customs, and philosophical ideas. Their contributions were welcomed by local courts, and Hindu beliefs were often woven into the existing social and religious frameworks. What emerged was a remarkable synthesis of South Asian and Southeast Asian traditions.

Among the enduring communities with ancient ties to South Asian Hinduism are:

• The eastern Cham people of Vietnam
• Hindu populations with deep roots along the Malay Peninsula, now home to over 2 million Hindus
• Smaller Hindu communities in Myanmar, Thailand, and Cambodia
• Indonesia, which today holds the fourth-largest Hindu population outside South Asia—over 4.5 million—primarily in Bali and Java