A small demographic statistic has attracted a lot of attention and opinion in Australia. For the first time, Indians have overtaken English people as the largest overseas-born group in Australia by a small margin.
According to the latest data released by Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) on Wednesday, as of June 2025, about 971,000 Indian-born residents now live in Australia, just edging past the roughly 970,000 people born in England, followed by China.
Sky News Australia’s X post was filled with hostile reactions with people expressing displeasure. One comment read “This is TREASON”, while another talked about their children being a minority in their own country in future. There were other slurs including the word “curry”, which apparently fits the Indian stereotype.
Opposition leader Angus Taylor seized on the moment to promise stricter migration controls. It became another flashpoint in a conversation that had already grown heated over housing shortages and the pace of immigration.
There were people who celebrated the shift as a sign of Australia finally becoming truly multicultural, a nation that had genuinely opened its doors to the world. But the overwhelming sentiment appeared to reflect something closer to alarm.
The raised number has triggered public anxieties around housing, jobs, and cultural change. Rhetoric around Indians in Australia has become negative, from online trolling to criticism of migration policies, with symbolic flashpoints like “Little India” drawing backlash.
At times, it has gone beyond words, with reports of Indian students being attacked in cities and near universities, raising concerns about their safety.
All this when politically, the India and Australia partnership has grown closer. Australia now offers near zero-duty access to Indian exports and both sides negotiating a broader Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement to deepen trade in services and investment.
Beyond commerce, ties have widened into renewable energy and critical minerals. Yet, the domestic reaction tells a different story.
