
For most of India’s Hindus, religious and national identities are closely linked
Source: Pew Research Center
The term “Hindu nationalism” is frequently invoked in both Indian and Western media, but there is no widely accepted definition of what the term means, and little data exists on how common Hindu nationalist attitudes are in India. An analysis of data from a recent Pew Research Center survey shows Hindus in India are far more likely than members of other religious groups to link Indian and Hindu identities. Nearly two-thirds of Hindus (64%) say it is very important to be Hindu to be truly Indian, compared with lower shares in other Indian religious communities – including 27% of Muslims – who say this.
Additional reading
Religion in India: Tolerance and Segregation
Key findings about religion in India
Eight-in-ten Indians limit meat in their diets, and four-in-ten consider themselves vegetarian