The Indo-Caribbean of Suriname

The Indo-Caribbean of Suriname, numbering approximately 133,000 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are an ethnic group indigenous to the Caribbean who descended from Indian indentured laborers brought by the British, Dutch, and French during the colonial era They are an Indigenous people, in the Indo-Caribbean people cluster of the South Asian Peoples affinity bloc. Their primary religion is Hinduism. They primarily speak Hindustani, Sarnami.

Indo-Caribbean in Suriname photo
Photo courtesy of Joshua Project. Photo Source: Copyrighted ©️ 2025 A Katz - Shutterstock Used with permission

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: South Asian Peoples
Country: Suriname
People Cluster: Indo-Caribbean
Primary Language(s): Hindustani, Sarnami (hns)
Primary Religion(s): Hinduism
Population: 133,000
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): No Longer Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): 2% or Greater but Less than 5% Evangelical
People Group ID: PG022266
View on Joshua Project

Pray for the Indo-Caribbean of Suriname

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: Hinduism
Religious Affiliation: Hinduism

%
Hinduism Adherents

Dig Deeper (Language):

Primary Language: Hindustani, Sarnami
Language Family: Indo-European

%
Hindustani, Sarnami Speakers

Media Resources in Hindustani, Sarnami:

Films:

Bible Resources in Hindustani, Sarnami:

Or check out the Hindustani, Sarnami bible resources at Bible.com

Linked from YouVersion

Next steps for the Indo-Caribbean

The Indo-Caribbean are Unengaged and Unreached, which means there are less than 2% evangelical Christian populations among which there are no known efforts focused on establishing self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice.

Begin signifcant prayer and fasting for this group
Send cross-cultural teams to discover and research this people group
Begin gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group

Next steps for the Indo-Caribbean

The Indo-Caribbean are Engaged yet Unreached, which means there are less than 2% evangelical Christian populations but there are sustained efforts at establishing self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice.

Continue prayer and fasting for this group
Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group
Begin training up local leaders to lead and develop strategies to reach their own people

Next steps for the Indo-Caribbean

The Indo-Caribbean 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.

Empower local believers to begin praying for their own people
Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group
Encourage local leaders to being leading church planting strategy and looking for Unreached and Unengaged groups nearby

Pray specifically for the Indo-Caribbean of Suriname

The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.
readIsaiah 40:8

Pray that those who don't know Jesus will be freed from the emptiness of fading hopes and find lasting life and truth in the unchanging Word of God.

“Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread."
readMatthew 6:10-11

As people go about their daily lives, pray they will have the opportunity to encounter Jesus-followers, receive the gospel, and respond with joy. Pray that, as God provides for their daily needs, He will also bring many into His beautiful kingdom.

And they all ate and were satisfied. And what was left over was picked up, twelve baskets of broken pieces.
readLuke 9:17

Pray that as people place their faith in Christ, they will meditate on the stories of Jesus' miracles, be in awe of Him, and trust Him for everything they need.

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
readRevelation 7:9-10

Pray that the promise in Revelation 7:9-10 will encourage believers from among them or from nearby people groups to share the gospel with people who have never learned it.

Indo-Caribbean (ROP3 - 108730) reported in the following countries:

To download a comprehensive people group list in spreadsheet form, visit our Research Data page.

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