India is a federal union consisting of 28 states and 8 union territories, making a total of 36 administrative divisions. The country follows a federal system of governance where states have their own elected governments while remaining under the authority of the central government.
Each state has a capital city, which serves as the administrative and political center where the state government operates. These capital cities house important institutions such as the state secretariat, legislative assembly, and high court.
India’s state capitals reflect the diversity of the country. Major capitals such as Mumbai (Maharashtra), Jaipur (Rajasthan), Kolkata (West Bengal), and Bengaluru (Karnataka) are large metropolitan cities, while others like Gangtok, Itanagar, and Kohima are smaller but culturally significant administrative centers.
Similarly, the Union Territories of India also have designated capitals. For example, New Delhi serves as the capital of the National Capital Territory of Delhi and is also the seat of the Government of India.
Below is the complete list of Indian states and their capitals along with estimated population figures.
List of Indian States and Their Capitals
| # | State | Capital | Population (Approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Andhra Pradesh | Visakhapatnam (Executive) / Amaravati (Legislative) | 20 Lakh / 2 Lakh |
| 2 | Arunachal Pradesh | Itanagar | 80,000 |
| 3 | Assam | Dispur | 8 Lakh |
| 4 | Bihar | Patna | 20 Lakh |
| 5 | Chhattisgarh | Raipur / Naya Raipur | 12 Lakh |
| 6 | Goa | Panaji | 1 Lakh |
| 7 | Gujarat | Gandhinagar | 2.25 Lakh |
| 8 | Haryana | Chandigarh | 11 Lakh |
| 9 | Himachal Pradesh | Shimla | 2 Lakh |
| 10 | Jharkhand | Ranchi | 14 Lakh |
| 11 | Karnataka | Bengaluru | 1 Crore |
| 12 | Kerala | Thiruvananthapuram | 9 Lakh |
| 13 | Madhya Pradesh | Bhopal | 20 Lakh |
| 14 | Maharashtra | Mumbai | 1.44 Crore |
| 15 | Manipur | Imphal | 3 Lakh |
| 16 | Meghalaya | Shillong | 1.7 Lakh |
| 17 | Mizoram | Aizawl | 3.4 Lakh |
| 18 | Nagaland | Kohima | 1.4 Lakh |
| 19 | Odisha | Bhubaneswar | 10 Lakh |
| 20 | Punjab | Chandigarh | 11 Lakh |
| 21 | Rajasthan | Jaipur | 36 Lakh |
| 22 | Sikkim | Gangtok | 1.1 Lakh |
| 23 | Tamil Nadu | Chennai | 53 Lakh |
| 24 | Telangana | Hyderabad | 80 Lakh |
| 25 | Tripura | Agartala | 4.5 Lakh |
| 26 | Uttar Pradesh | Lucknow | 33 Lakh |
| 27 | Uttarakhand | Dehradun (Winter) / Gairsain (Summer) | 7 Lakh |
| 28 | West Bengal | Kolkata | 50 Lakh |
Union Territories of India and Their Capitals
| # | UT | Capital | Population (2021 Estimates) |
| UT1 | Delhi | New Delhi | 1.30 crore |
| UT2 | Jammu & Kashmir | Srinagar (Summer) Jammu (Winter) | 13.5 Lakh 5.25 Lakh |
| UT3 | Puducherry | Pondicherry | 3 Lakh |
| UT4 | Chandigarh | Chandigarh | 11 Lakh |
| UT5 | Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu | Daman | 2 Lakh |
| UT6 | Andaman & Nicobar | Port Blair | 1.5 Lakh |
| UT7 | Ladakh | Leh/Kargil | – |
| UT8 | Lakshadweep | Kavaratti | 12000 |
Key Facts about Indian States and Capitals
Largest capital city: Mumbai (Maharashtra)
Smallest capital by population: Kavaratti (Lakshadweep)
Only capital shared by two states: Chandigarh (Punjab & Haryana)
Seasonal capitals:
Uttarakhand – Dehradun (Winter) & Gairsain (Summer)
Jammu & Kashmir – Srinagar (Summer) & Jammu (Winter)