India is a Union of States, consisting of 28 states and 8 Union Territories (UTs). Each state has its own elected government, while Union Territories are governed directly by the Central Government, though some (like Delhi and Puducherry) have partial state-like powers with legislative assemblies.
The capital city is the administrative seat where the state’s or UT’s government functions. Some regions even have dual or seasonal capitals, reflecting historical, political, or geographical reasons.
| State | Capital | Special Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Andhra Pradesh | Amaravati | Planned capital; Hyderabad served as joint capital until 2024 |
| Arunachal Pradesh | Itanagar | Strategically important, near India-China border |
| Assam | Dispur | Capital shifted from Shillong in 1972 |
| Bihar | Patna | One of the oldest continuously inhabited cities |
| Chhattisgarh | Raipur | Naya Raipur (Atal Nagar) being developed as smart capital |
| Goa | Panaji | Known for Portuguese heritage |
| Gujarat | Gandhinagar | Capital moved from Ahmedabad in 1970s |
| Haryana | Chandigarh | Shared with Punjab |
| Himachal Pradesh | Shimla (Summer), Dharamshala (Winter) | Dual capital arrangement |
| Jharkhand | Ranchi | Rich in mineral resources |
| Karnataka | Bengaluru | Known as India’s IT hub |
| Kerala | Thiruvananthapuram | Formerly called Trivandrum |
| Madhya Pradesh | Bhopal | Judicial functions in Jabalpur |
| Maharashtra | Mumbai (Main), Nagpur (Winter) | Nagpur hosts winter legislature |
| Manipur | Imphal | Culturally diverse |
| Meghalaya | Shillong | Known as “Scotland of the East” |
| Mizoram | Aizawl | Scenic hill capital |
| Nagaland | Kohima | Historic WWII battle site |
| Odisha | Bhubaneswar | Capital shifted from Cuttack in 1949 |
| Punjab | Chandigarh | Shared with Haryana |
| Rajasthan | Jaipur | Judicial capital at Jodhpur |
| Sikkim | Gangtok | Gateway to the Himalayas |
| Tamil Nadu | Chennai | Formerly known as Madras |
| Telangana | Hyderabad | Technology hub; shared with Andhra Pradesh until 2024 |
| Tripura | Agartala | Near Bangladesh border |
| Uttar Pradesh | Lucknow | Judicial capital at Prayagraj |
| Uttarakhand | Dehradun (Winter), Bhararisain (Summer) | Summer capital shift for regional balance |
| West Bengal | Kolkata | Major cultural and economic hub |
| Union Territory | Capital(s) | Special Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Andaman & Nicobar Islands | Port Blair | Important naval base |
| Chandigarh | Chandigarh | Serves as capital of Punjab & Haryana |
| Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu | Daman | Merged UT formed in 2020 |
| Jammu & Kashmir | Srinagar (Summer), Jammu (Winter) | Seasonal capitals due to climate |
| Ladakh | Leh (Summer), Kargil (Winter) | Established as UT in 2019 |
| Lakshadweep | Kavaratti | Smallest UT of India |
| Delhi (NCT) | New Delhi | National capital of India |
| Puducherry | Puducherry | Retains French heritage |
There are 28 states and 8 Union territories in the country which was in effect from 26th January 2020.
Lt. Governors & Administrators are considered to be the head of a Union Territories of India.
New Delhi is the official capital of the Republic of India.
Itanagar, the charming capital of Arunachal Pradesh, holds a unique position in the northeastern Indian state.
Dispur, the capital of the Indian state of Assam, is a vital administrative center situated just outside Guwahati which became the capital of Assam in 1973.
The capital of Andhra Pradesh state is Amravati.
The capital of Bihar state is Patna.
Raipur serves as the capital of Chhattisgarh state.
The capital of Goa is Panaji.
Gandhinagar, a city located in the western state of Gujarat, India, is the capital of Gujarat.
Chandigarh, often referred to as the “City Beautiful,” serves as the capital of Haryana.
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