Politics Ledger · Asia-Pacific
India
Electoral autocracyParliamentary republicFederal
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India parliamentary seats — snapshot dated Elected June 2024 (approximate current standing) (2y 5mo ago). Curated data may lag the live series. View data sources.
In charge
Narendra Modi
Prime Minister
Time in power
12.4 yrs
since 2014
Government seats
54%
majority
Next national vote
2029-05
General
Governance score
44/100
composite of five indices
The world's largest democracy emerged from partition and colonial rule to build a secular, federal republic under Congress dominance. Since 2014 Narendra Modi's BJP has reshaped the state around Hindu nationalism and strong central leadership.
Leadership
Who Governs India
Head of state
Droupadi Murmu
President
Since 25 July 2022 · 4.3 years
Age 68 (born 1958)WomanRoute to power: elected by parliament
Head of government
Holds executive powerNarendra Modi
Prime Minister · Bharatiya Janata Party
Since 26 May 2014 · 12.4 years
Age 76 (born 1950)ManRoute to power: won a popular election
Ruling coalition
National Democratic Alliance: BJP with TDP, JD(U), Shiv Sena and others (about 293 seats)
Main opposition
INDIA bloc led by the Indian National Congress (Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition)
Last national election
4 June 2024
General
BJP fell to 240 seats and lost its single-party majority, governing with allies for Modi's third term.
Next national election
By May 2029
General
V-Dem classifies India as an "electoral autocracy" since 2018; the government rejects this assessment.
Parliament
Lok Sabha
Seat distribution (Elected June 2024 (approximate current standing)), ordered from economic left to right.
| Party | Ideology | Seats | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) | Hindu nationalism, Conservatism | 240 | governing |
| Indian National Congress (INC) | Secularism, Social liberalism | 99 | opposition |
| Other INDIA bloc and independents (OTH) | Various | 63 | opposition |
| Samajwadi Party (SP) | Socialism | 37 | opposition |
| All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) | Bengali regionalism, Populism | 29 | opposition |
| Other NDA parties (NDA) | Various | 25 | coalition |
| Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) | Dravidianism, Social democracy | 22 | opposition |
| Telugu Desam Party (TDP) | Regionalism | 16 | coalition |
| Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)) | Socialism, Regionalism | 12 | coalition |
Ideology
Party Landscape
Each party placed on economic and social axes, sized by seats.
Institutions
The System
- Official name
- Republic of India
- Capital
- New Delhi
- Population
- 1,451 million
- Statehood
- Independence 15 August 1947; Constitution in force 26 January 1950
- System
- Parliamentary republic
- Structure
- Federal
- Current constitution
- 1950
- Legislature
- Parliament (Sansad)
- Lower / sole chamber
- Lok Sabha (543 seats)
- Upper chamber
- Rajya Sabha (245)
- Electoral system
- First-past-the-post in 543 single-member constituencies.
- Term limits
- None for the prime minister; five-year Lok Sabha terms.
Sources
- Election Commission of India
- Lok Sabha
- EIU Democracy Index 2024; Freedom House, Freedom in the World 2025; RSF World Press Freedom Index 2025; Transparency International CPI 2024; IPU Parline, 2026; V-Dem v15 Liberal Democracy Index (approximate five-year readings)
Last verified 2026-10-29. Party placements are editorial estimates.
Data as of 2026-10-29.