By Arun Kumar

Washington, June 10 (IANS) With about 1.6 million foreign-born from India residing in the United States in 2008, they have emerged as the third-largest immigrant group in America after Mexican and Filipino immigrants. There were, however, 2.3 million members of the Indian diaspora residing in the United States in 2008, including 455,000 native-born US citizens of Indian ancestry.

Between 2007 and 2008, the number of Indian immigrants surpassed the number of Chinese and Hong Kong-born immigrants for the first time since at least 1960, according to a new report from the Migration Policy Institute, a Washington is think tank.

Indian immigration to the United States, a fairly recent phenomenon, grew rapidly during the 1990s and 2000s, the report noted.

In addition, people with Indian ancestry have also immigrated to the United States from the Caribbean, East Africa, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

Compared to other immigrant groups, the Indian foreign born are much better educated - nearly three-quarters of Indian-born adults have a bachelor's degree or higher. About one-quarter of Indian-born men in the labour force work in the information technology industry, the survey noted.

Highlights

* Nearly half of all Indian immigrants resided in California, New Jersey, New York, and Texas.

* The Indian born accounted for about one in 10 immigrants in six states.

* Between 2000 and 2008, the size of the Indian immigrant population more than doubled in 10 states.

* Over one in six Indian immigrants resided in the New York metropolitan area.

* Indian immigrants made up at least 10 percent of the immigrant population in 10 metropolitan areas.

* There were 2.3 million members of the Indian diaspora residing in the United States in 2008, including 455,000 native-born US citizens of Indian ancestry.

* Over 40 percent of the Indian foreign born arrived in the United States in 2000 or later.

* Three of every 10 Indian immigrants in 2008 were limited English proficient.

* About two-thirds of limited English proficient Indian immigrants spoke Hindi, Guajarati, or Panjabi.

* Nearly three-quarters of Indian foreign-born adults had a bachelor's degree or higher.

* Indian immigrants were less likely to live in poverty than natives.

* Indian immigrants were as likely as other immigrants to own their own home.

* About one in eight Indian immigrants did not have health insurance in 2008.

* More than 550,000 children under age 18 resided in a household with an Indian immigrant parent.