India

Background

The Indus Valley civilization, recognized as one of the earliest known, thrived during the 3rd and 2nd millennia B.C. and spread throughout northwestern India. Around 1500 B.C., Aryan tribes began to migrate into the Indian subcontinent from the northwest; their integration with the pre-existing Dravidian population led to the formation of classical Indian culture. The Maurya Empire, which existed during the 4th and 3rd centuries B.C. and reached its peak under ASHOKA, unified a significant portion of South Asia. The Gupta dynasty, spanning the 4th to the 6th centuries A.D., marked The Golden Age, a period characterized by significant advancements in Indian science, art, and culture. Over a span of 700 years, Islam gradually spread throughout the subcontinent. In the 10th and 11th centuries, invasions by Turks and Afghans culminated in the establishment of the Delhi Sultanate. During the early 16th century, the Mughal Dynasty was founded by Emperor BABUR, which governed extensive areas of India for over three hundred years. The 16th century also witnessed European explorers beginning to establish their presence in India.

By the 19th century, Great Britain emerged as the preeminent political authority on the subcontinent, with India regarded as the "Jewel in the Crown" of the British Empire. The British Indian Army was instrumental in both World Wars. A prolonged campaign of nonviolent resistance against British colonial rule, spearheaded by Mohandas GANDHI and Jawaharlal NEHRU, ultimately led to India's independence in 1947. Significant communal violence erupted in the lead-up to and following the partition of the subcontinent into two independent nations—India and Pakistan. Since gaining independence, the two neighboring countries have engaged in three wars, the most recent occurring in 1971, which resulted in the creation of Bangladesh from East Pakistan. Following India's nuclear weapons tests in 1998, Pakistan was prompted to conduct its own tests that same year. In 2008, a series of coordinated attacks in Mumbai, India's financial hub, were perpetrated by terrorists originating from Pakistan. India's economic growth, driven by reforms initiated in 1991, a large youth demographic, and its strategic geographic position, has facilitated the country's rise as a regional and global power. Nevertheless, India continues to grapple with significant challenges, including widespread poverty, extensive corruption, and environmental degradation, while its restrictive business climate poses obstacles to meeting economic growth aspirations.

Area

Climate

ranges from tropical monsoon in the southern regions to temperate in the northern regions

Terrain

upland plain (Deccan Plateau) located in the south, flat to gently rolling plains along the Ganges, deserts in the west, and the Himalayas to the north

Land use

Location

Southern Asia, situated between the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, adjacent to Burma and Pakistan

Coastline

7,000 km

Elevation

Irrigated land

754,562 sq km (2022)

Major aquifers

Indus-Ganges-Brahmaputra Basin

Map references

Asia

Land boundaries

Maritime claims

Natural hazards

droughts; sudden flash floods, as well as extensive and damaging flooding due to monsoonal rains; severe thunderstorms; earthquakes

volcanism: Barren Island (354 m) in the Andaman Sea has shown activity in recent years

Geography - note

predominantly influences the South Asian subcontinent; located near significant trade routes in the Indian Ocean; Kanchenjunga, the third highest mountain globally, is positioned on the border with Nepal

Natural resources

coal (holding the fourth-largest reserves worldwide), antimony, iron ore, lead, manganese, mica, bauxite, rare earth elements, titanium ore, chromite, natural gas, diamonds, petroleum, limestone, and arable land

Area - comparative

a little over one-third the area of the United States

Geographic coordinates

20 00 N, 77 00 E

Population distribution

a very high population density is found throughout most of the country, with notable exceptions in the northwest deserts and the mountainous northern fringe; the population core is concentrated in the northern regions along the Ganges River, with additional significant populations in other river valleys and southern coastal regions

Major lakes (area sq km)

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Major rivers (by length in km)

Brahmaputra (shared with China [s] and Bangladesh [m]) - 3,969 km; Indus (shared with China [s] and Pakistan [m]) - 3,610 km; Ganges river source (shared with Bangladesh [m]) - 2,704 km; Godavari - 1,465 km; Sutlej (shared with China [s] and Pakistan [m]) - 1,372 km; Yamuna - 1,370 km; Narmada - 1,289 km; Chenab river source (shared with Pakistan [m]) - 1,086 km ; Ghaghara river mouth (shared with China [s] and Nepal) - 1,080 km

note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Literacy

Languages

Religions

Hindu 79.8%, Muslim 14.2%, Christian 2.3%, Sikh 1.7%, other and unspecified 2% (2011 estimate)

Sex ratio

Birth rate

15.91 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Death rate

8.7 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Median age

Population

Nationality

Tobacco use

Urbanization

Age structure

Ethnic groups

Indo-Aryan 72%, Dravidian 25%, and other 3% (2000)

Child marriage

Dependency ratios

Physician density

0.72 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

Health expenditure

Net migration rate

0.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Hospital bed density

1.6 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Total fertility rate

2 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

Education expenditure

Infant mortality rate

Population growth rate

0.72% (2025 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

0.95 (2025 est.)

Population distribution

the country exhibits a very high population density in most regions, with the significant exception of the northwestern deserts and the mountainous border in the north; the majority of the population is concentrated in the northern regions along the Ganges River, as well as in other river valleys and the southern coastal regions.

Life expectancy at birth

Maternal mortality ratio

80 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Sanitation facility access

Alcohol consumption per capita

Major urban areas - population

32.941 million NEW DELHI (capital), 21.297 million Mumbai, 15.333 million Kolkata, 13.608 million Bangalore, 11.776 million Chennai, 10.801 million Hyderabad (2023)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

3.9% (2016)

Mother's mean age at first birth

21.2 years (2019/21)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

72.3% (2020 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

31.5% (2020 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

Climate

ranges from tropical monsoon in the southern regions to temperate in the northern regions

Land use

Urbanization

Methane emissions

Waste and recycling

Environmental issues

deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; desertification; air contamination from industrial waste and vehicle emissions; water contamination from untreated sewage and agricultural chemicals; drinking water is not safe; increasing population exerting pressure on natural resources; loss of biodiversity

Total water withdrawal

Carbon dioxide emissions

Particulate matter emissions

55.6 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Total renewable water resources

1.911 trillion cubic meters (2022 est.)

International environmental agreements

Flag

description: consists of three equal horizontal stripes in saffron (top), white, and green, with a blue chakra (a wheel with 24 spokes) placed centrally in the white stripe

meaning: saffron represents courage, sacrifice, and the essence of renunciation; white signifies purity and truth; green symbolizes faith and fertility; the chakra embodies the cycle of life in motion and the stagnation of death

Capital

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Citizenship

Constitution

Country name

Independence

15 August 1947 (from the UK)

Legal system

a common law system influenced by the English framework; distinct personal law codes are applicable to Muslims, Christians, and Hindus; judicial review of legislative actions is practiced

Government type

a federal parliamentary republic

Judicial branch

Executive branch

National holiday

Republic Day, 26 January (1950)

National color(s)

saffron, white, green

National heritage

Political parties

Aam Aadmi Party or AAP
All India Trinamool Congress or AITC
Bahujan Samaj Party or BSP
Bharatiya Janata Party or BJP
Biju Janata Dal or BJD
Communist Party of India-Marxist or CPI(M)
Dravida Munnetra Khazhagam
Indian National Congress or INC
Nationalist Congress Party or NCP
Rashtriya Janata Dal or RJD
Samajwadi Party or SP
Shiromani Akali Dal or SAD
Shiv Sena or SS
Telegana Rashtra Samithi or TRS
Telugu Desam Party or TDP
YSR Congress or YSRCP or YCP

Legislative branch

National anthem(s)

National symbol(s)

the Lion Capital of Ashoka, which features four Asiatic lions positioned back-to-back atop a circular abacus (official); Bengal tiger and lotus flower (traditional)

Administrative divisions

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

Legislative branch - lower chamber

Legislative branch - upper chamber

Diplomatic representation in the US

Diplomatic representation from the US

International organization participation

ADB, AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council (observer), ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), BIMSTEC, BIS, BRICS, C, CD, CERN (observer), CICA, CP, EAS, FAO, FATF, G-15, G-20, G-24, G-5, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, PIF (partner), Quad, SAARC, SACEP, SCO (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNITAR, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UNSOM, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with conditions; not a party to the ICCt

Budget

Exports

Imports

Industries

textiles, chemicals, food processing, steel, transportation equipment, cement, mining, petroleum, machinery, software, pharmaceuticals

Labor force

607.691 million (2024 est.)

Public debt

Remittances

Exchange rates

Debt - external

Economic overview

the largest economy in South Asia; robust and consistent GDP growth driven by technology and service sectors, foreign investment, and enhanced regulatory frameworks; significant poverty levels and income disparity; initiatives aimed at infrastructure development, digitization, manufacturing, and financial accessibility

Unemployment rate

Exports - partners

USA 19%, UAE 7%, China 4%, Germany 3%, UK 3% (2023)

Imports - partners

China 19%, Russia 10%, USA 6%, UAE 6%, Saudi Arabia 5% (2023)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP growth rate

Agricultural products

sugarcane, rice, milk, wheat, bison milk, potatoes, vegetables, maize, bananas, onions (2023)

Exports - commodities

refined petroleum, packaged medicine, diamonds, broadcasting equipment, garments (2023)

Imports - commodities

crude petroleum, gold, coal, natural gas, integrated circuits (2023)

Current account balance

Taxes and other revenues

6.7% (of GDP) (2022 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$3.913 trillion (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use

Average household expenditures

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Industrial production growth rate

5.6% (2024 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Coal

Petroleum

Electricity

Natural gas

Nuclear energy

Electricity access

Energy consumption per capita

Electricity generation sources

Internet users

Broadcast media

Doordarshan, the public television network of India, holds a monopoly over terrestrial broadcasting and manages approximately 20 services that are national, regional, and local in scope. A significant number of privately owned television stations are made available through cable and satellite providers, which collectively offer more than 850 channels. The government oversees AM radio, with All India Radio running both domestic and international networks. News broadcasts on radio are restricted to the All India Radio Network. Since the year 2000, the establishment of privately owned FM stations has been authorized, leading to a swift increase in their numbers by 2020.

Internet country code

.in

Telephones - fixed lines

Telephones - mobile cellular

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

Ports

Airports

315 (2025)

Railways

Heliports

289 (2025)

Merchant marine

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

VT

Military - note

The principal mission of the Indian military is the defense of its external and territorial integrity, while its secondary missions encompass regional power projection, participation in UN peacekeeping efforts, humanitarian assistance, and support for internal security forces. It engages in multinational military exercises and ranks among the largest contributors to UN peacekeeping operations globally.

The military's main external concerns are directed towards China and Pakistan. The brief Sino-Indian War of 1962 established one of the longest disputed international frontiers, referred to as the Line of Actual Control (LAC), leading to intermittent confrontations between Indian and Chinese military personnel, including deadly encounters in 1975 and 2020. Naval rivalry and influence in the Indian Ocean also constitute significant areas of interest.

India has engaged in four wars and numerous skirmishes with Pakistan, three of which centered on the contested region of Jammu and Kashmir, whose status has remained unresolved since the UK's withdrawal in 1947 and the subsequent partition and independence of India and Pakistan. A fragile cease-fire in Kashmir was achieved in 2003, modified in 2018, and reaffirmed in 2021, although the heavily militarized Line of Control, which acts as the boundary, continues to be disputed. India has accused Pakistan of supporting armed separatists and terrorist groups in Jammu and Kashmir, where Indian military and security forces have been conducting counterinsurgency operations since the 1980s. In Spring 2025, India attributed a terrorist attack in Indian-administered Kashmir to Pakistan and retaliated, resulting in a brief cross-border conflict involving aerial, artillery, drone, and missile strikes.

The Kashmir issue also involves the Siachen Glacier, located in the Karakoram Mountain Range, which India captured in 1984. Pakistan has made multiple attempts to reclaim the area between 1985 and 1995. Despite the cease-fire established in 2003, both nations maintain a continuous military presence there, with outposts at elevations exceeding 20,000 feet (over 6,000 meters). Most casualties in this region are attributed to extreme weather conditions and the challenges posed by high-altitude operations, including avalanches, exposure, and altitude sickness (2025).

Military deployments

1,100 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO); 200 in the Golan Heights (UNDOF); 900 in Lebanon (UNIFIL); 2,400 in South Sudan (UNMISS); 600 in Sudan (UNISFA) (2025)

Military expenditures

Military and security forces

Indian Armed Forces (IAF): Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard

Ministry of Home Affairs: Central Police Organization, Central Armed Police Forces (includes Assam Rifles, Border Security Force, Central Industrial Security Force, Central Reserve Police Force, Indo-Tibetan Border Police, National Security Guards, Sashastra Seema Bal) (2025)

Military service age and obligation

Age requirements vary by military branch and specific roles, but generally range from 17 to 27 years for voluntary military service for both men and women; there is no conscription (2025).

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

The military's arsenal includes equipment of Russian and Soviet origin, alongside a smaller assortment of Western and domestically manufactured weaponry. Russia remains the foremost supplier of arms to India, although recent years have seen an increase in acquisitions from alternative sources, including France, Israel, the UK, and the US. India's defense sector is capable of producing a diverse array of air, land, missile, and naval weapon systems for both domestic use and export, as well as manufacturing weapons systems under license (2025).

Military and security service personnel strengths

Information varies; approximately 1.5 million personnel are part of the active Indian Armed Forces, comprising roughly 1.25 million in the Army (2025).

Terrorist group(s)

al-Qa’ida; al-Qa’ida in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS); Harakat ul-Mujahidin; Harakat ul-Jihad-i-Islami (HUJI); Hizbul Mujahideen; Indian Mujahedeen; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) – India (ISI); Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM); Lashkar-e Tayyiba (LeT); Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)/Qods Force; The Resistance Front (TRF)

Illicit drugs

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Space launch site(s)

The Satish Dhawan Space Center, also known as the Sriharikota Range, is situated in Andhra Pradesh, while the Vikram Sarabhai Space Center is located in Kerala; both are significant facilities for ISRO as of 2025.

Space agency/agencies

The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) was initially founded in 1962 as the Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR) and was rebranded to ISRO in 1969. The Defense Space Agency (DSA) was created in 2019, with updates as of 2025.

Space program overview

ISRO boasts one of the most extensive space programs in the world, engaging in the design, construction, launching, operation, and tracking of a wide array of satellites that encompass communications, navigation, remote sensing (RS), and scientific/technology applications. It is involved in the creation and launching of rockets, space/satellite launch vehicles (SLVs), and lunar and interplanetary probes while also facilitating satellite launches for international partners. The organization is actively advancing new technologies and capabilities, including the establishment of an astronaut program and human spaceflight initiatives, aided by collaborations with Russia and the United States. ISRO has established space-related agreements with the European Space Agency (ESA) and over 50 other nations, including China, France, Germany, Japan, Russia, and the US. Additionally, it participates in global initiatives such as the Square Kilometer Array radio telescope project, and the Department of Space oversees two state-run corporations within the space industry, alongside a burgeoning private space sector as of 2025.

Key space-program milestones

1963 - The inaugural sounding (research) rocket was launched.

1975 - The first domestically manufactured scientific satellite, Aryabhata, was launched by the Soviet Union.

1979 - The first experimental remote sensing (RS) satellite, Bhaskara-I, was launched by the Soviet Union.

1980 - The first successful launch of a satellite, Rohini, occurred using the Indian satellite launch vehicle (SLV).

1984 - An Indian astronaut ventured into space aboard a Soviet rocket for the first time.

1988 - The first operational RS satellite, IRS-1A, was launched by the Soviet Union.

1994 - The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), which is India’s leading SLV, achieved its first successful launch.

2008 - The first lunar orbiter/probe, Chandrayaan-1, was launched, successfully entering lunar orbit and deploying a probe to the Moon's surface.

2014 - The first interplanetary probe, Mangalyaan, successfully entered orbit around Mars.

2018 - The Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (INRSS) commenced operations.

2019 - The lunar orbiter/probe, Chandrayaan-2, was launched, which included a lander and rover, although the lander was lost due to a crash during its descent to the Moon's surface.

2023 - The uncrewed lander/rover mission, Chandrayaan-3, successfully landed on the Moon's surface.

2024 - A satellite, XPoSat, was launched to investigate black holes, and the solar observatory spacecraft, Aditya-L1, was positioned in orbit to study the Sun.

2025 - The first docking of two satellites in orbit occurred, and ISRO sent its first astronaut to the International Space Station.