The Sema Naga of India

The Sema Naga of India, numbering approximately 372,000 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are a dominant Naga group of Zunheboto in Nagaland who call themselves Semi after their ancestor Sumi. Slash-and-burn cultivation remains primary, supplemented by weaving and smithy, and many have embraced Christianity. They mostly adhere to Protestantism and Sumi Naga is their primary language.

Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite: Naga, Sema

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: South Asian Peoples
Country: India
People Cluster: Tangsa Naga
Primary Language(s): Sumi Naga (nsm)
Primary Religion(s): Protestantism
Population: 372,000
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): No Longer Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): 10% or Greater Evangelical
People Group ID: PG041651
View on Joshua Project

Pray for the Sema Naga of India

Join others around the world in praying for the lost to be saved, the gospel to advance, the global Church to grow, and for laborers to be sent out and sustained in the harvest.

Dig Deeper (Religion):

Primary Religion: Protestantism
Religious Affiliation: Christianity

99%
%
Protestantism Adherents

Dig Deeper (Language):

Primary Language: Sumi Naga
Language Family: Sino-Tibetan

100%
%
Naga, Sumi Speakers

Media Resources in Sumi Naga:

Films:
TitleLink
JESUSView Film

1 film

Bible Resources in Sumi Naga:

Bible Name (Translation)VideoAudioText
Common Language Version✓

1 entry

Or check out the Sumi Naga bible at Bible.com

Linked from YouVersion

SPI: No longer Unreached

The Sema Naga are No Longer Unreached, which means there are more than 2% evangelical Christian populations and there are churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice. There is still more to be done among them.

Next steps for the Sema Naga:
Empower local believers to begin praying for their own people
Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting
Encourage local leaders to being leading church planting strategy and looking for Unreached and Unengaged groups nearby

Pray specifically for the Sema Naga of India

And he said to them, "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many."
readMark 14:23-24

Pray for those who may have heard the gospel but have not yet submitted their lives to Christ, that they will finally see the sacrifice which He made for them and surrender their lives to Him.

So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.
readRomans 9:16

Pray that the merciful God who is at work in people's hearts will advance His gospel among them.

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
readPsalm 27:1

Pray that as people place their faith in Christ, God will strengthen them when they face persecution of any kind for Jesus' name’s sake.

Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together!
readPsalm 34:3

Pray that God will raise up believers who will go to those in this people group who do not yet follow Jesus, and that they will invite many to magnify the Lord with them so that His fame will spread to the ends of the earth.

Naga, Sema Across Countries (ROP3 - 113571) reported in the following countries:

Strategic Progress Index
All

1 people group

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