Being the melting pot for numerous beliefs, the Asian region is known to comprise a diverse population from various walks of religion. For the longest time, these beliefs pose a major influence on Asian culture and society. One of the most influential religions in Asia—or particularly in South Asia—is Hinduism.
Originated from ancient India, the Asia-pacific region holds an impressive percentage of Hindus, accounting for around 99% of the global Hindu population. While 95% of Hindus live in India, Hinduism in Asia grows significantly in other parts of the continent as well.
Hindu majority countries in Asia
India, as the birthplace where Hinduism was founded, is home to a huge population of Hindu adherents. According to a recent report conducted by the Pew Research Center, as of 2020, the number of Hindu residents in India reached 95% or about 1.1 billion share of the world’s Hindu population. Meanwhile, the percentage of Hindu shares in the country is 79.4%.
Apart from India, there is one more South Asian country with a large portion of Hindus, which is Nepal. Holding a share of 2.0% of the worldwide Hindu population, 81% of Nepal’s 23.5 million citizens are Hindus.
Asian countries with a significant Hindu population
Although Hinduism thrives remarkably in South Asian countries such as Nepal and India, they are not the only Asian country to have Hindu adherents. As a matter of fact, several countries in the Asian region also have a quite significant Hindu community. Here are more examples according to India Belong:
- Bangladesh: Occupying the 3rd spot after Nepal on the list of countries with a significant Hindu population, around 8% of Hindus make up the Bangladesh’ total population. The presence of Hinduism in Bangladesh is mainly due to the massive number of migrants and converts.
- Pakistan: Presence of Hinduism can also be seen in Pakistan. Placing 4th in the world Hindu population rank, Hindus form roughly 2.1% of Pakistan’s total population. Similar to Indonesia, the majority of Hindus in Pakistan come together in one area, which is in the Sindh province.
- Indonesia: All this time, most people may recognize Indonesia as a Muslim-majority country, but it actually has a considerable amount of Hindus. Comprising 1.6% of its population, Hindus in Indonesia are concentrated in Bali, with over 83% of Bali residents being Hindus. Historically, Hinduism has been prevalent in the archipelago since the reign of the Majapahit Empire.
- Sri Lanka: By 2025, there are about 14.5% or 3 million Hindus residing in Sri Lanka. Despite many Sri Lankan Hindus fleeing the country during the Civil War from 1983 to 2009, some Hindu adherents still choose to stay in Sri Lanka and to this day, Hinduism remains prevalent in the country.
- Malaysia: The last Asian country to make it on the list of countries with the highest Hindu counts is Malaysia. As of 2025, Malaysia is estimated to have a number of 6.5% Hindus in the region. For your information, Malaysian Hindus mostly came from the Tamil descendants of Laborers who were brought to Malaya by the British.
Comparing Hinduism in Asia
To get a clearer picture of the Hindu counts in Asia, the following table will show you a comparison of the estimated number of Hindu population for several countries in Asia along with its share of the country’s total population:
| Country | Share of world Hindus | Hindu share of country population |
| India | 94.5% | 79.4% |
| Nepal | 81.2% | 2.0% |
| Bangladesh | 7.9% | 1.1% |
| Pakistan | 2.1% | 0.4% |
| Indonesia | 1.6% | 0.4% |
| Sri Lanka | 14.5% | 0.3% |
| Malaysia | 6.1% | 0.2% |
| Singapore | 6.5% | 0.03% |
| Bhutan | 22.5% | 0.02% |
| Bahrain | 10.2% | 0.01% |
| Japan | 0.5% | 0% |
Based on the data given above, it can be concluded that until recently, the Asia-Pacific region still holds the vast majority of the world’s Hindu population with a whopping 99% of Hindus residing in various Asian countries. Accounting for 95%, India once again proves itself as a country boasting the highest count of Hindu adherents.
