How Many States Are There in India?

India, the world's largest democracy, is a diverse and vast country with a well-defined administrative structure. As of 2024, India is divided into 28 states and 8 Union Territories. These states and territories play a crucial role in governance, cultural identity, and economic development.

States and Union Territories: Understanding the Difference

India's political and administrative structure consists of states and Union Territories (UTs).

• States: Each state has its own government, led by a Chief Minister, and operates under the Indian Constitution. States have significant autonomy in areas such as law-making, education, and health.

• Union Territories: Unlike states, UTs are directly governed by the Central Government. Some, like Delhi and Puducherry, have their own legislatures, but others are administered by Lieutenant Governors or Administrators appointed by the President of India.

List of the 28 States of India

Here are the 28 states of India along with their capitals:

1. Andhra Pradesh (Amaravati)

2. Arunachal Pradesh (Itanagar)

3. Assam (Dispur)

4. Bihar (Patna)

5. Chhattisgarh (Raipur)

6. Goa (Panaji)

7. Gujarat (Gandhinagar)

8. Haryana (Chandigarh)

9. Himachal Pradesh (Shimla)

10. Jharkhand (Ranchi)

11. Karnataka (Bengaluru)

12. Kerala (Thiruvananthapuram)

13. Madhya Pradesh (Bhopal)

14. Maharashtra (Mumbai)

15. Manipur (Imphal)

16. Meghalaya (Shillong)

17. Mizoram (Aizawl)

18. Nagaland (Kohima)

19. Odisha (Bhubaneswar)

20. Punjab (Chandigarh)

21. Rajasthan (Jaipur)

22. Sikkim (Gangtok)

23. Tamil Nadu (Chennai)

24. Telangana (Hyderabad)

25. Tripura (Agartala)

26. Uttar Pradesh (Lucknow)

27. Uttarakhand (Dehradun)

28. West Bengal (Kolkata)

List of the 8 Union Territories of India

The 8 Union Territories and their capitals are:

1. Andaman and Nicobar Islands (Port Blair)

2. Chandigarh (Chandigarh)

3. Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (Daman)

4. Delhi (National Capital Territory) (New Delhi)

5. Jammu and Kashmir (Srinagar (Summer), Jammu (Winter))

6. Ladakh (Leh)

7. Lakshadweep (Kavaratti)

8. Puducherry (Puducherry)

Historical Changes in Indian States

India originally had 29 states, but in 2019, Jammu and Kashmir was reorganized into two separate Union Territories: Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. This reduced the total number of states to 28 and increased the UTs to 8.

Conclusion

India’s 28 states and 8 Union Territories reflect the country's vast diversity in language, culture, geography, and governance. While states enjoy more autonomy, Union Territories are directly controlled by the central government. These divisions help in better administration and governance across the country.

For the latest updates on India's states and territories, you can refer to the official Government of India website or Ministry of Home Affairs.