States and Union Territories of India 2026: List with Capitals, Area and Population

India has 28 states and 8 Union Territories in 2026. The count has stood at this figure since 26 January 2020, when Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu were merged into one Union Territory. This page lists every state and UT with its capital, then answers the questions examiners keep asking: which is the largest state, the most populated, the most densely populated, and the newest.

List of 28 States of India and Their Capitals

Kerala to Keralam: Parliament passed the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Act, 2026, which received Presidential assent on 14 August 2026. The new name applies from the date notified by the Centre.

List of 8 Union Territories and Their Capitals

Largest State in India by Area

Madhya Pradesh was the largest state until 1 November 2000, when Chhattisgarh was carved out of it; since then Rajasthan has been the largest. The smallest state by area is Goa (3,702 sq km). Among Union Territories, Ladakh is the largest and Lakshadweep the smallest.

Most Populated State in India

Uttar Pradesh alone has about 16.5% of India’s population; as a country it would rank among the ten most populous in the world. Sikkim is the least populated state (about 6.1 lakh). The Census 2027, India’s first digital census with caste enumeration, will replace these figures; its population count is scheduled for February 2027 (October 2026 in snow-bound areas).

State with the Highest Population Density

India’s average density in 2011 was 382 per sq km. Arunachal Pradesh is the least dense state (17 per sq km). Among UTs, Delhi is the most densely populated area in the country at 11,320 per sq km.

How New States Are Formed

Under Article 3, Parliament can form a new state, change boundaries or rename a state by an ordinary law passed by simple majority. The Bill needs the President’s recommendation, and the President must refer it to the affected state legislature, whose views are not binding. Such laws are not amendments under Article 368. Recent uses: Telangana (Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014), the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, and the renaming of Kerala as Keralam (2026).