Why were Indians at the bottom of the social ladder but the highest population in the spanish colonial society?

In Spanish colonial society, Indigenous people in India, often referred to as "Indians," were positioned at the bottom of the social hierarchy due to the colonial Caste System that privileged Europeans and their descendants. Despite their large population, they were marginalized and exploited for labor, as colonial powers viewed them as inferior. This systemic discrimination, combined with the imposition of foreign cultural values and institutions, solidified their lower social status while their demographic majority highlighted their crucial role in the colonial economy.