India has 28 states and 8 Union Territories. The states-and-capitals list is among the most frequently tested static-GK topics, and it also underpins map and geography questions. Here is the full, current list.
28 States and their capitals
| State | Capital |
|---|---|
| Andhra Pradesh | Amaravati |
| Arunachal Pradesh | Itanagar |
| Assam | Dispur |
| Bihar | Patna |
| Chhattisgarh | Raipur |
| Goa | Panaji |
| Gujarat | Gandhinagar |
| Haryana | Chandigarh |
| Himachal Pradesh | Shimla |
| Jharkhand | Ranchi |
| Karnataka | Bengaluru |
| Kerala | Thiruvananthapuram |
| Madhya Pradesh | Bhopal |
| Maharashtra | Mumbai |
| Manipur | Imphal |
| Meghalaya | Shillong |
| Mizoram | Aizawl |
| Nagaland | Kohima |
| Odisha | Bhubaneswar |
| Punjab | Chandigarh |
| Rajasthan | Jaipur |
| Sikkim | Gangtok |
| Tamil Nadu | Chennai |
| Telangana | Hyderabad |
| Tripura | Agartala |
| Uttar Pradesh | Lucknow |
| Uttarakhand | Dehradun (Gairsain is the summer capital) |
| West Bengal | Kolkata |
8 Union Territories and their capitals
| Union Territory | Capital |
|---|---|
| Andaman and Nicobar Islands | Port Blair (also known as Sri Vijaya Puram) |
| Chandigarh | Chandigarh |
| Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu | Daman |
| Delhi (NCT) | New Delhi |
| Jammu and Kashmir | Srinagar (summer) / Jammu (winter) |
| Ladakh | Leh (and Kargil) |
| Lakshadweep | Kavaratti |
| Puducherry | Puducherry |
Points examiners like to test
- Chandigarh is the shared capital of two states — Punjab and Haryana — and is itself a Union Territory.
- Uttarakhand has a summer capital (Gairsain) in addition to Dehradun.
- Jammu and Kashmir follows the “Durbar Move” tradition of a summer and winter capital.
- Do not confuse state capitals with largest cities — for example, Mumbai is both, but Gandhinagar (not Ahmedabad) is Gujarat’s capital.
- Andaman and Nicobar’s capital Port Blair was officially renamed Sri Vijaya Puram in 2024; both names may appear in questions.
Tip: revise this list region-wise (North, South, East, West, Northeast). Grouping neighbouring states together makes both the capitals and the map positions easier to hold in memory.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many states and Union Territories does India have?
India has 28 states and 8 Union Territories.
Which city is the capital of two states?
Chandigarh serves as the capital of both Punjab and Haryana, and is itself a Union Territory.
What is the capital of Andhra Pradesh?
Amaravati is the capital of Andhra Pradesh.
Which state has a separate summer capital?
Uttarakhand uses Gairsain as its summer capital in addition to Dehradun; Jammu and Kashmir also alternates between Srinagar (summer) and Jammu (winter).