Indian festivals, cuisine, and arts have become mainstream in Australia. (AI-generated image) In a historic first, people born in India have edged past those born in England to become the single-largest overseas-born group in Australia. According to the latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), released on April 29, the Indian-born population stood at 971,020 as of June 30, 2025, narrowly surpassing the 970,950 residents born in England. This milestone underscores the profound transformation of Australia’s demographic landscape. With a total population of 27.6 million, the country now hosts 8.8 million overseas-born residents, accounting for exactly 32 per cent of the population, the highest proportion since 1891. The overseas-born cohort grew by 258,000 in 2024-25 alone, driven largely by skilled migration, international education, and family streams from South Asia. The rise of the Indian diaspora has been nothing short of meteoric.…