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Christian Population in India 2023

At the census 2011, out of the 1.21 billion population, little over 27.8 million or 2.78 crores (2.3% of India’s population) are Christians. It’s the third largest religion in India besides Hinduism and Islam.

Christianity has emerged as the major religion in three Northeastern states, namely, Nagaland, Mizoram, and Meghalaya. It also has a good percentage in  Manipur, Goa, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Kerala, and Arunachal Pradesh.

In 2023 approx 3.22 Crores or 32 million people are Christians in India.

Source: Census 2011

also read about the Top countries by the Christian population

Christianity is a major religion in Nagaland, Mizoram, and Meghalaya. Manipur (41.29%), Goa (25.10%), Andaman & Nicobar Islands (21.28%), Kerala (18.38%), and Arunachal Pradesh (30.26%) have a considerable percentage of the Christian population.

Christianity by Indian States & UTs (Census 2011)

#StateTotal PopulationChristian Population% of Total
1Nagaland1,978,5021,739,65187.93%
2Mizoram1,097,206956,33187.16%
3Meghalaya2,966,8892,213,02774.59%
4Manipur2,855,7941,179,04341.29%
5Arunachal Pradesh1,383,727418,73230.26%
6Goa1,458,545366,13025.10%
7Andaman and Nicobar Islands380,58180,98421.28%
8Kerala33,406,0616,141,26918.38%
9Sikkim610,57760,5229.91%
10Puducherry1,247,95378,5506.29%
11Tamil Nadu72,147,0304,418,3316.12%
12Tripura3,673,917159,8824.35%
13Jharkhand32,988,1341,418,6084.30%
14Assam31,205,5761,165,8673.74%
15Orissa41,974,2181,161,7082.77%
16Chhattisgarh25,545,198490,5421.92%
17Karnataka61,095,2971,142,6471.87%
18Dadra and Nagar Haveli343,7095,1131.49%
19Andhra Pradesh / Telangana84,580,7771,129,7841.34%
20Punjab27,743,338348,2301.26%
21Daman and Diu243,2472,8201.16%
22Maharashtra112,374,3331,080,0730.96%
23Delhi16,787,941146,0930.87%
24Chandigarh1,055,4508,7200.83%
25West Bengal91,276,115658,6180.72%
26Gujarat60,439,692316,1780.52%
27Lakshadweep64,4733170.49%
28Uttarakhand10,086,29237,7810.37%
29Madhya Pradesh72,626,809213,2820.29%
30Jammu and Kashmir12,541,30235,6310.28%
31Haryana25,351,46250,3530.20%
32Himachal Pradesh6,864,60212,6460.18%
33Uttar Pradesh199,812,341356,4480.18%
34Rajasthan68,548,43796,4300.14%
35Bihar104,099,452129,2470.12%

Source: Census 2011

Top 10 States by Christian Population

Kerala (6.2 million) has the largest Christian population in India followed by Tamil Nadu (4.4 million)  & Meghalaya (2.2 million).  Let’s look at the top 10 states in India with the largest Christianity followers.

Top 10 States with Christian Population

#StateChristian PopulationPop. in million
1Kerala6,141,2696.2 million
2Tamil Nadu4,418,3314.4 million
3Meghalaya2,213,0272.2 million
4Nagaland1,739,6511.8 million
5Jharkhand1,418,6081.4 million
6Manipur1,179,0431.17 million
7Assam1,165,8671.16 million
8Orissa1,161,7081.16 million
9Karnataka1,142,6471.15 million
10Maharashtra1,080,0731 million
11Mizoram956,3310.95 million

Source: Census 2011

Christianity in India by Affilations

As per the estimates among Christians in India, Protestanism has the largest number of adherents followed by  Catholics, Orthodox, and other Christians. The largest denomination is the Roman Catholic Church (1 million), Anglicans within the united Church of North India and Church of South India, constitute the second largest group at over 5 million.

#AffiliationsEstimated Population
1Protestants 18,860,000
2Catholics 10,570,000
3Orthodox  2,370,000
4Other Christians 50,000

Christian Churches in India

Roman CatholicsTraditions
Roman Catholic Church Catholic
Syro-Malabar Catholic ChurchCatholic
Syro-Malankara Catholic ChurchCatholic
Chaldean Syrian ChurchEastern Christianity
Orthodox Churches 
Malankara Orthodox Syrian ChurchOriental Orthodox
Jacobite Syrian Orthodox ChurchOriental Orthodox
Malabar Independent Syrian ChurchOriental Orthodox
Protestants 
LutheranProtestant
BaptistProtestant
New Apostolic Church[174]Protestant
The Pentecostal MissionProtestant
Methodist Church in IndiaProtestant
New Life Fellowship Association[174]Protestant
Manna Full Gospel Churches[174]Protestant
Evangelical ChurchProtestant
Philadelphia Fellowship Church of IndiaProtestant
Sharon Fellowship Church[174]Protestant
Hindustani Covenant ChurchProtestant
Pentecostal Maranatha Gospel ChurchProtestant
Indian BrethrenProtestant 
Presbyterian Church of IndiaProtestant – Reformed
Council of Reformed Churches of IndiaProtestant – Reformed
Mennonite Brethren ChurchProtestant – Reformed
Evangelical Church of MaralandProtestant – Reformed
Reformed Presbyterian Church North East IndiaProtestant – Reformed
Reformed Presbyterian Church of IndiaProtestant – Reformed
Congregational Church in IndiaProtestant – Reformed
Assemblies Jehovah ShammahProtestant (Plymouth Brethren)
Orissa Baptist Evangelistic Crusade (OBEC)Protestant Baptist
Assemblies of God in IndiaProtestant Evangelical Pentecostal
India Pentecostal Church of GodProtestant Evangelical Pentecostal
Jeypore Evangelical Lutheran Church (JELC)Protestant Lutheran
Seventh-day Adventist ChurchProtestant/Restorationism
Jehovah’s WitnessesRestorationism
Unitarian Union of Northeast IndiaUnitarian
Christian Revival ChurchPentecostal 
Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian ChurchEastern Protestant Christian
Church of South IndiaEpiscopal Protestant 
Church of North IndiaEpiscopal Protestant 
St. Thomas Evangelical Church of IndiaEpiscopalian Protestant
Mormons 
Community of ChristLatter Day Saints
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day SaintsLatter Day Saints

Source: Pew research center

Christian Population in India 2023 | Christianity in India by Affiliations