India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य); is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh largest country by area, the second-most populous country after China, and the most populous & the largest democracy in the world. India is bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the west, and the Bay of Bengal on the east; and it is bordered by Pakistan to the west; Bhutan, China and Nepal to the north; and Bangladesh and Burma to the east. In the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka lie to the south and the Maldives, Thailand and the Indonesian island of Sumatra lie to the south-east.

Indian Map at a glance (Political)

India is a federal democratic republic, consisting of 28 states and seven union territories, with the President as the Head of State. The Legislature is the bicameral Parliament. The lower house, known as the Lok Sabha is popularly elected by the people. The upper house, known as the Rajya Sabha is mostly elected indirectly by the state and territorial legislatures in proportion of population. Some members of parliament are nominated by the President (12 with expertise in specific fields for upper house and 2 from Anglo-Indian community for lower house).

The head of government is the Prime Minister, who is the leader of the majority party of lower house and exercises most executive power, with the President being the nominal head of state. There is a Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister. Every minister holding a portfolio must be a member either house of Parliament. The Prime Minister and his Council being directly responsible to the lower house of the Parliament


The Indian economy is one of the fastest growing major economies with eleventh largest by nominal GDP and fourth largest by PPP in the World. It is classified as a newly industrialized country. India is a nuclear weapons state and has the third-largest standing armed force in the world.