India is the seventh largest country in the world and the second most populous. It is located in southwestern Asia. Officially, it is called the Republic of India. It is governed by a parliamentary system. Managing a vast country from a single location becomes quite challenging. Thus, the Indian Constitution vests the central government with the authority to make states feel suitable. Our country, India, is divided into 28 states and eight union territories. This article discusses the Indian states and their capital cities.
India’s States and Capitals
Many people are unaware of India’s entire number of States / Union Territories and their capital cities. In this post, we will provide you with the most recent information about India’s states and capitals. India currently has 28 states and 8 union territories. Each state in India has a capital that serves as its administrative, legislative, and judicial centers. According to some states, all three tasks are carried out in a single capital. A Chief Minister is the head of state in each state. We have covered the Indian States, Union Territories, and their capitals in this section.
States and Capitals of India
India comprises 28 states and eight union territories. The following table lists the 28 Indian states and their capitals.
| The Indian States and their Capitals | |
| State Name | Capital |
| Andhra Pradesh | Amaravati |
| Arunachal Pradesh | Itanagar |
| Assam | Dispur |
| Bihar | Patna |
| Chhattisgarh | Raipur |
| Goa | Panaji |
| Gujarat | Gandhinagar |
| Haryana | Chandigarh |
| Himachal Pradesh | Shimla |
| Jharkhand | Ranchi |
| Karnataka | Bengaluru |
| Kerala | Thiruvananthapuram |
| Madhya Pradesh | Bhopal |
| Maharashtra | Mumbai |
| Manipur | Imphal |
| Meghalaya | Shillong |
| Mizoram | Aizawl |
| Nagaland | Kohima |
| Odisha | Bhubaneswar |
| Punjab | Chandigarh |
| Rajasthan | Jaipur |
| Sikkim | Gangtok |
| Tamil Nadu | Chennai |
| Telangana | Hyderabad |
| Tripura | Agartala |
| Uttar Pradesh | Lucknow |
| Uttarakhand | Dehradun (Winter) Gairsain (Summer) |
| West Bengal | Kolkata |
Union Territories and Capitals of India
India now has 28 states and eight union territories. Formerly known as Jammu and Kashmir, the state has been divided into two Union Territories (UTs): J&K and Ladakh. The newly formed union areas were established following the passage of a restructuring act by Parliament on 5-6 August 2020. India now has eight Union Territories.
| Union Territories Name | Capital |
| Andaman and Nicobar Islands | Port Blair |
| Chandigarh | Chandigarh |
| Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu | Daman |
| Delhi | New Delhi |
| Jammu and Kashmir | Srinagar (Summer) Jammu (Winter) |
| Lakshadweep | Kavaratti |
| Puducherry | Pondicherry |
| Ladakh | Leh |
States and Capitals of India Map
After obtaining a list of Indian States and Union Territories with their capitals, let us first examine how a state is distinguished from a union territory. Three union territories in India, namely Delhi, Puducherry (previously Pondicherry), and Jammu and Kashmir, have their own legislatures. Each union territory and state have its own capital.
States and Capitals: Important Points
Let us first understand how to distinguish a state from a union territory when we have the list of Indian states and union territories with their capitals. Three of India’s eight union territories, including Delhi, Puducherry (previously Pondicherry), and Jammu and Kashmir, have their own legislatures. Every union territory and state has its own capital.
| State | Union Territories |
| The state has its own administrative units with their own elected government. | Union Territories are constituent units which are controlled and administered by the Central Government. |
| Executive Head is the Governor | Executive Head is the President |
| The relationship with the Centre is Federal. | Unitary with the Centre. i.e. all the powers rests in the hands of Union. |
| Administered by the Chief Minister and elected by the people. | Administered by the Administrator which is appointed by the President. ( except Delhi, Puducherry and Jammu & Kashmir) |
| Chief Minister is the real head. | Lieutenant is the real head. |
India’s States and Capitals: Up-to-Date Information
- Let’s take a look at the most recent changes on the Union Territories and their capitals before we move into the Union Territories and their capitals.
- India has had eight union territories since January 26, 2020. The union territories of Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli have merged into one.
- On August 5, the federal government announced the abolition of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status granted under Article 370, as well as the split of the state into two Union Territories: Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
- The number of UTs has been reduced to eight following the merger of Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli.