29 states and 7 Union Territories
Before the reorganization on October 31, 2019, India had 29 states and 7 Union Territories. The state of Jammu & Kashmir had special status under Article 370, but after its bifurcation into two Union Territories—Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh—on October 31, 2019, the number of states reduced to 28, and the number of Union Territories increased to 9. Later, on January 26, 2020, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu were merged into a single Union Territory, reducing the total Union Territories to 8. These changes were made to streamline governance, enhance development, and improve administrative efficiency in the reorganized regions.
