simple question - use of word indians

Living in South America, also we had contacts with indigenous tribes. The difference is that the word 'Indio' is used here because we use another word for India people(Indiano).

But when I write a story in English, I can use indian(s) or must use native/indigenous for perfect understanding.

I'm not interested in what is politically correct or fashionable. I want know if the readers will understand the context (write indians) or they will be confused?

Thanks

If you're writing in a North American setting then I'm sure you won't confuse anyone with using the term "indians" for native American peoples, it's still very much in the culture. Whether anyone finds the term offensive is another question.

North American audiences are actually more liable to mistake "Indian" for meaning that when it's meant to denote someone from India. We unfortunately use the same term in both instances, and it's the first that springs more readily to mind.

Also common: East Indian to describe someone from Indonesia or perhaps Polynesia, Oceania (the "east Indies"); West Indian to describe someone from the Caribbean (the "west Indies").

That's enough for me. Thank you, Cecrow.