In 2013, India’s population was estimated at 1.27 billion individuals and growing. Although its population is comprised primarily of Hindu-practicing citizens, India has shown steady growth in the number practicing Christianity. As of last year, 71 million Indians, or 5.6% of its population, had accepted Christianity as their faith, making India the 8th largest Christian country worldwide. This is a significant increase from 2001, when the Christian community was made up of only 24 million people. The rapid growth of Christianity is seen mostly among middle- to upper-class Indians; additionally, young Indians drawn to the Christian gospel are growing in number.
The reasons for the faith's exponential growth are the increasing expatriate population, religious missionaries, and Christian-based churches in the region. While the Christian movement is not yet wholly accepted, the conversion rate remains on the rise.