India - Government
Based on the etymolgy of India, it was the English name derives from the Indus River; the Indian name "Bharat" may derive from the "Bharatas" tribe mentioned in the Vedas of the second millennium B.C.; the name is also associated with Emperor Bharata, the legendary conqueror of all of India. The Government system in this country is the federal parliamentary republic type and the different Administrative divisions includes: 28 states and 8 union territories*; Andaman and Nicobar Islands*, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chandigarh*, Chhattisgarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu*, Delhi*, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir*, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Ladakh*, Lakshadweep*, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Odisha, Puducherry*, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal
National symbols

The Lion Capital of Ashoka, which depicts four Asiatic lions standing back to back mounted on a circular abacus, is the official emblem; Bengal tiger; lotus flower; national colors: saffron, white, green.

The flag
The National flag of India has three equal horizontal bands of saffron (subdued orange) (top), white, and green, with a blue chakra (24-spoked wheel) centered in the white band; saffron represents courage, sacrifice, and the spirit of renunciation; white signifies purity and truth; green stands for faith and fertility; the blue chakra symbolizes the wheel of life in movement and death in stagnation.
The National Anthem
Title "Jana-Gana-Mana" (Thou Art the Ruler of the Minds of All People)
Lyric/music Rabindranath TAGORE
More about the government of India
Date of Independence 15 August 1947 (from the UK)
National holiday Republic Day, 26 January (1950)
Legal system common law system based on the English model; separate personal law codes apply to Muslims, Christians, and Hindus; judicial review of legislative acts
International law organization participation accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; non-party state to the ICCt
Constitution
History Previous 1935 (preindependence); latest draft completed 4 November 1949, adopted 26 November 1949, effective 26 January 1950
Amendments Proposed by either the Council of States or the House of the People; passage requires majority participation of the total membership in each house and at least two-thirds majority of voting members of each house, followed by assent of the president of India; proposed amendments to the constitutional amendment procedures also must be ratified by at least one half of the India state legislatures before presidential assent; amended many times, last in 2023
Citizenship
Citizenship by birth no
Citizenship by descent only at least one parent must be a citizen of India
Dual citizenship recognized no
Residency requirement for naturalization 5 years
Executive Branch
Chief of state President Droupadi MURMU (since 25 July 2022)
Head of government Prime Minister Narendra MODI (since 26 May 2014)
Cabinet Union Council of Ministers recommended by the prime minister, appointed by the president
Elections/appointments president indirectly elected by an electoral college consisting of elected members of both houses of Parliament for a 5-year term (no term limits); election last held on 18 July 2022 (next to be held in July 2027); vice president indirectly elected by an electoral college consisting of elected members of both houses of Parliament for a 5-year term (no term limits); election last held on 5 August 2022 (next to be held in August 2027); following legislative elections, the prime minister is elected by Lok Sabha members of the majority party
Election results
2022: Droupadi MURMU elected president; percent of electoral college vote - Droupadi MURMU (BJP) 64%, Yashwant SINHA (AITC) 35.9%; Jagdeep DHANKHAR elected vice president; percent of electoral college vote - Jagdeep DHANKHAR (BJP) 74.4%, Margaret ALVA (INC) 25.6%

2017: Ram Nath KOVIND elected president; percent of electoral college vote - Ram Nath KOVIND (BJP) 65.6%, Meira KUMAR (INC) 34.4%; Venkaiah NAIDU elected vice president; percent of electoral college vote - Venkaiah NAIDU (BJP) 67.9%, Gopal-krishna GANDHI 32.1%
Legislative branch
Legislature name Parliament (Sansad)
Legislative structure Bicameral
Judicial branch
Highest court(s) Supreme Court (consists of 28 judges, including the chief justice)
Judge selection and term of office Justices appointed by the president to serve until age 65
Subordinate courts High Courts; District Courts; Labour Court
Diplomatic representation in the US
Chief of mission Ambassador Vinay Mohan KWATRA (since 18 September 2024)
Chancery 2107 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
Telephone [1] (202) 939-7000
FAX [1] (202) 265-4351
Email address and website
[email protected]

https://www.indianembassyusa.gov.in/
Consulate(s) general Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, New York, San Francisco, Seattle
Diplomatic representation from the US
Chief of mission Ambassador Eric M. GARCETTI (since 11 May 2023)
Embassy Shantipath, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi - 110021
Mailing address 9000 New Delhi Place, Washington DC  20521-9000
Telephone [91] (11) 2419-8000
FAX [91] (11) 2419-0017
Email address and website
[email protected]

https://in.usembassy.gov/
Consulate(s) general Chennai (Madras), Hyderabad, Kolkata (Calcutta), Mumbai (Bombay)
National heritage
Total World Heritage Sites 43 (35 cultural, 7 natural, 1 mixed)
Selected World Heritage Site locales

Taj Mahal (c); Red Fort Complex (c); Elphanta Caves (c); Hill Forts of Rajasthan (c); Sundarbans National Park (n); Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka (c); Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park (c); Dholavira: A Harappan City (c); Jaipur (c); Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya (c); Manas Wildlife Sanctuary (n); Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks (n); Khangchendzonga National Park (m); Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram (c); Sun Temple, Konârak (c); Kaziranga National Park (n); Keoladeo National Park (n); Churches and Convents of Goa (c); Fatehpur Sikri (c); Group of Monuments at Hampi (c); Khajuraho Group of Monuments (c); Great Living Chola Temples (c); Group of Monuments at Pattadakal (c); Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi (c); Humayun's Tomb, Delhi (c); Qutb Minar and its Monuments, Delhi (c); Mountain Railways of India (c); Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus) (c); The Jantar Mantar, Jaipur (c); Western Ghats (n); Great Himalayan National Park Conservation Area (n); Rani-ki-Vav (the Queen’s Stepwell) at Patan, Gujarat (c); Archaeological Site of Nalanda Mahavihara at Nalanda, Bihar (c); The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, an Outstanding Contribution to the Modern Movement (c); Historic City of Ahmadabad (c); Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai (c); Jaipur City, Rajasthan (c); Kakatiya Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple, Telangana (c); Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas (c); Santiniketan (c);  Moidams – the Mound-Burial System of the Ahom Dynasty (c)

Key Political parties and their leaders in India
  • International organization participation
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  • All Important Facts about India

    Want to know more about India? Check all different factbooks for India below.

    India is found in Southern Asia