Question

India as a Union of States.

Answer 1

The Constitution of India, under Article 1, describes India as a “Union of States”. This means that India is a federation, but not one formed by an agreement among independent states, as in the case of the USA. Instead, the Indian Union is indestructible, states do not have the right to secede, and the Union is permanent.

The term “Union of States” was deliberately chosen by the constitution-makers to signify the strong central structure of the Indian federation. The Parliament has the power to alter the boundaries, names, or even existence of states (Article 3), making the Indian federal system more unitary in nature.

While states have their own governments and legislatures, the Indian model ensures that national unity and integrity are maintained through a strong central government.