Indians in Uganda

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There is a sizable community of the Indian diaspora and people of Indian descent in Uganda. In 2003, there were an estimated 15,000 people of Asian descent (mostly Indians and Pakistanis) living in Uganda. Members of this community are known as Indian-Ugandans, Indo-Ugandans, and Indo-Pakistani Ugandans. At its peak in the 1960s, the community's population stood at between 80,000 to 100,000 people. However, in 1972, Ugandan dictator Idi Amin issued an order to expel all South Asians from the country amidst a backdrop of anti-Indian sentiment and Black supremacy. In response to the exodus, India, the United Kingdom, and several other countries severed diplomatic ties with Uganda. After the 1979 Tanzanian invasion of Uganda overthrew Idi Amin and exiled him to Libya, many Indians gradually returned to Uganda over the course of the 1980s and 1990s. This return was significantly encouraged by Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni, who helped depose Amin and actively invited expelled Asians to reclaim their properties and invest in Uganda's economy. Museveni’s pro-business policies and public recognition of the Indian community’s contribution to national development created a more favourable environment for their reintegration. Today, Indian-Ugandans once again play a dominant role in the country's economy. Despite making up less than 1% of the population, Uganda's Indian community was estimated to be contributing up to 65% of the country's total tax revenue in 2016. Ugandan businessman Sudhir Ruparelia, who is of Indian origin, is the country's richest man, with his net worth standing at approximately US$1.2 billion in 2019.