Pray for India
A white marble tomb in Agra, built in the 1600s.
Photo: Yann; edited by Jim Carter, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
About India
The capital is New Delhi. People speak Hindi, English and many other languages. The largest faith is Hinduism.
Source: Wikipedia, with the cited sources it lists.
Prayer briefing for India
Last updated November 2026. Facts come from the sources listed below.
Current events
The 2026 monsoon ended about 13% below normal, the weakest since 2015, with El Niño conditions a factor. The east and northeast and the south received only about three quarters of their usual rain, and less land was sown with crops in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. In early October the ratings agency ICRA cut its farm growth forecast to about 1%, warning that low reservoirs threaten the winter crop and that weaker farm incomes could push up food prices.
We pray for: Immediate relief, safety and urgent help.
Leadership and politics
India is a federal parliamentary republic. The President is Droupadi Murmu and the Prime Minister is Narendra Modi, who has led the government since 2014. In September 2026 India hosted the BRICS summit in New Delhi. National and state leaders carry heavy responsibility for farming, jobs and peace between communities.
We pray for: Wisdom, integrity and justice for those in authority.
Economic health
The World Bank says extreme poverty fell from about 27% in 2011 to 2012 to about 5% in 2022 to 2023, and about 171 million people were lifted out of extreme poverty. Even so, about 55 million people still lived on less than about 3 US dollars a day in 2024, and over half of the poorest live in the five most populous states. A weak monsoon puts pressure on rural families who depend on farming.
We pray for: Provision for families and honest stewardship.
Social and cultural issues
India is a nation of many peoples, languages and faiths, living side by side across a vast land. Relations between communities need ongoing care. The US Commission on International Religious Freedom reports that the April 2025 attack at Pahalgam was followed by rising tension and targeted attacks against Muslims, and reports vigilante attacks on religious minorities. The rural poor and farming families are among the most vulnerable this year.
We pray for: Reconciliation, peace and protection of the vulnerable.
Spiritual landscape
In the 2011 census about 80% of Indians were Hindu, about 14% Muslim, about 2% Christian and about 2% Sikh, with Buddhists, Jains and others also present. Most Christians live in the south, especially Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Goa. Christians are a majority in Nagaland, Mizoram and Meghalaya, with significant numbers in Manipur and Mumbai.
We pray for: Spiritual awakening, hope and the spread of truth.
Religious freedom
The US Commission on International Religious Freedom reported in 2026 that conditions worsened in 2025, with several states introducing or strengthening anti-conversion laws, and it recommended that India be named a Country of Particular Concern. It also reported detentions and expulsions of religious refugees. Many Indians of different faiths still live and work side by side in peace.
We pray for: Protection for believers and freedom to worship safely.
Historical wounds
India became independent from British rule in August 1947, in a partition that created India and Pakistan. Between about 12 and 20 million people were displaced along religious lines, and estimates of the dead range from about 200,000 to 2 million, with Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims all suffering, especially in Punjab and Bengal. Those memories still shape relations between communities and with Pakistan.
We pray for: National healing, breaking old cycles and deep forgiveness.
Let us pray together
Our Father, we come to You together for India. Send the rain the land needs, and provide for farmers and families facing failed crops. Give wisdom, integrity and justice to those in authority, and lead India and its neighbours in the ways of peace. Provide for every family, especially the poorest in the villages and cities. Protect the vulnerable and bring reconciliation where communities live in fear of one another. Let hope and the good news of Your love be made known in every language. Keep believers of every background safe, and give them courage and freedom to worship. Heal the deep wounds of partition and lead India in forgiveness and peace. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Sources
- DSIJ: 2026 monsoon ends 12.6% deficient, weakest since 2015 (Oct 2026)
- Daily Pioneer: weakest monsoon since 2015 prompts ICRA to cut farm growth forecast (Oct 2026)
- Wikipedia: 2026 in India, incumbents and events (Oct 2026)
- The Tribune: World Bank, extreme poverty in India down to 5.3% (June 2025)
- Wikipedia: Religion in India, 2011 census
- The Week (PTI): USCIRF says religious freedom in India deteriorated in 2025 (Mar 2026)
- Wikipedia: Partition of India
More ways to pray
PrayerCast shares short prayer videos for the nations. Watch its video for India and pray along.
Watch the PrayerCast video for India
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