List of Indian States, Union Territories and Their Capitals (Updated 2026)

Indian States and Union Territories 2026: Capitals, Important Facts & MCQs

India is a Union of States consisting of 28 States and 8 Union Territories. Knowing the States, Union Territories and their capitals is an important part of Indian Geography and Static General Knowledge for competitive examinations. Questions from this topic are regularly useful for aspirants preparing for UPSC, APPSC, TSPSC/TGPSC, SSC, Railway, Banking, Defence, Police SI, Constable and other Government examinations.

This article has been reviewed and updated on 19 August 2026. Students should particularly remember recent or easily confused facts such as Sri Vijaya Puram, the capital of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh being the common capital of Punjab and Haryana, and the seasonal capital arrangements of Jammu and Kashmir and Uttarakhand.

For further revision, also read Indian States and Union Territories 2026 – Capitals, Chief Ministers and Governors .

📘 Indian States and Their Capitals – 2026

  1. Andhra Pradesh – Amaravati
  2. Arunachal Pradesh – Itanagar
  3. Assam – Dispur
  4. Bihar – Patna
  5. Chhattisgarh – Raipur
  6. Goa – Panaji
  7. Gujarat – Gandhinagar
  8. Haryana – Chandigarh
  9. Himachal Pradesh – Shimla
  10. Jharkhand – Ranchi
  11. Karnataka – Bengaluru
  12. Kerala – Thiruvananthapuram
  13. Madhya Pradesh – Bhopal
  14. Maharashtra – Mumbai
  15. Manipur – Imphal
  16. Meghalaya – Shillong
  17. Mizoram – Aizawl
  18. Nagaland – Kohima
  19. Odisha – Bhubaneswar
  20. Punjab – Chandigarh
  21. Rajasthan – Jaipur
  22. Sikkim – Gangtok
  23. Tamil Nadu – Chennai
  24. Telangana – Hyderabad
  25. Tripura – Agartala
  26. Uttar Pradesh – Lucknow
  27. Uttarakhand – Dehradun (Winter); Gairsain/Bhararisain (Summer)
  28. West Bengal – Kolkata

🏝️ Union Territories and Their Capitals – 2026

  1. Andaman and Nicobar Islands – Sri Vijaya Puram (formerly Port Blair)
  2. Chandigarh – Chandigarh
  3. Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu – Daman
  4. Delhi (National Capital Territory) – New Delhi
  5. Jammu and Kashmir – Srinagar (Summer) and Jammu (Winter)
  6. Ladakh – Leh
  7. Lakshadweep – Kavaratti
  8. Puducherry – Puducherry
Important 2026 Correction: Port Blair should not be used as the present capital name of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The Government of India renamed it Sri Vijaya Puram on 13 September 2024. This is an important current-affairs-linked Static GK fact for examinations.

🧠 Important Facts for Competitive Exams

  • India currently has 28 States and 8 Union Territories.
  • Chandigarh is a Union Territory and also serves as the common capital of Punjab and Haryana.
  • The capital of Andaman and Nicobar Islands is Sri Vijaya Puram, formerly called Port Blair.
  • Jammu and Kashmir is associated with Srinagar as the summer capital and Jammu as the winter capital.
  • Uttarakhand has Dehradun as its winter capital and Gairsain/Bhararisain as its summer capital.
  • Hyderabad is the capital of Telangana.
  • Amaravati is the capital of Andhra Pradesh.
  • New Delhi is the capital of India as well as the capital associated with the National Capital Territory of Delhi.

Students revising Indian Geography should also study India's Neighbouring Countries 2026 – Capitals, Currencies, Parliaments and Languages .

For related Static GK, read National Symbols and Their Importance of India .

You can also explore more Indian Geography study material on Learn With Mahesh.

🎯 Quick Revision Table

Exam Fact Answer
Number of States in India 28
Number of Union Territories 8
Capital of India New Delhi
Common capital of Punjab and Haryana Chandigarh
Capital of Andhra Pradesh Amaravati
Capital of Telangana Hyderabad
Capital of Andaman & Nicobar Islands Sri Vijaya Puram
Former name of Sri Vijaya Puram Port Blair
Capital of Lakshadweep Kavaratti
Capital of Ladakh Leh

✅ 10 MCQs on Indian States and Union Territories

1. How many States are there in India?

[A] 27
[B] 28
[C] 29
[D] 30

Show Answer

Answer: [B] 28

India currently consists of 28 States and 8 Union Territories.


2. How many Union Territories are there in India?

[A] 6
[B] 7
[C] 8
[D] 9

Show Answer

Answer: [C] 8

India currently has eight Union Territories.


3. What is the capital of Andhra Pradesh?

[A] Visakhapatnam
[B] Vijayawada
[C] Amaravati
[D] Tirupati

Show Answer

Answer: [C] Amaravati

Amaravati is the capital of Andhra Pradesh.


4. Which city serves as the common capital of Punjab and Haryana?

[A] Amritsar
[B] Chandigarh
[C] Ludhiana
[D] Gurugram

Show Answer

Answer: [B] Chandigarh

Chandigarh is a Union Territory and serves as the common capital of Punjab and Haryana.


5. What is the present name of the capital of Andaman and Nicobar Islands?

[A] Port Blair
[B] Sri Vijaya Puram
[C] Kavaratti
[D] Daman

Show Answer

Answer: [B] Sri Vijaya Puram

Port Blair was renamed Sri Vijaya Puram by the Government of India in September 2024.


6. Srinagar and Jammu are the seasonal capitals of which Union Territory?

[A] Ladakh
[B] Chandigarh
[C] Jammu and Kashmir
[D] Delhi

Show Answer

Answer: [C] Jammu and Kashmir

Srinagar is associated with the summer capital and Jammu with the winter capital.


7. Gairsain/Bhararisain is associated with the summer capital of which State?

[A] Himachal Pradesh
[B] Uttarakhand
[C] Sikkim
[D] Arunachal Pradesh

Show Answer

Answer: [B] Uttarakhand

Gairsain/Bhararisain is the summer capital of Uttarakhand, while Dehradun is the winter capital.


8. What is the capital of Telangana?

[A] Warangal
[B] Hyderabad
[C] Karimnagar
[D] Nizamabad

Show Answer

Answer: [B] Hyderabad

Hyderabad is the capital of Telangana.


9. What is the capital of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu?

[A] Silvassa
[B] Diu
[C] Daman
[D] Panaji

Show Answer

Answer: [C] Daman

Daman is the capital of the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu.


10. What is the capital of Lakshadweep?

[A] Kavaratti
[B] Kochi
[C] Agatti
[D] Minicoy

Show Answer

Answer: [A] Kavaratti

Kavaratti is the capital of Lakshadweep.

💡 Exam Memory Points

28 States + 8 UTs = 36 State/UT units

Punjab + Haryana → Chandigarh

Andaman & Nicobar → Sri Vijaya Puram

Jammu & Kashmir → Srinagar (Summer), Jammu (Winter)

Uttarakhand → Gairsain/Bhararisain (Summer), Dehradun (Winter)

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

1. How many States and Union Territories are there in India in 2026?

India has 28 States and 8 Union Territories.

2. What is the capital of Andaman and Nicobar Islands in 2026?

The capital is Sri Vijaya Puram. It was formerly known as Port Blair.

3. Which city is the capital of both Punjab and Haryana?

Chandigarh serves as the common capital of Punjab and Haryana and is itself a Union Territory.

4. Which State has Gairsain as its summer capital?

Uttarakhand has Gairsain/Bhararisain as its summer capital, while Dehradun serves as its winter capital.

5. Why are States and capitals important for competitive examinations?

States, Union Territories and capitals form a basic part of Indian Geography and Static GK. Questions may appear directly or may be linked with current affairs, Governors, Chief Ministers, rivers, national parks, neighbouring countries and other geography topics.

🔗 Related Posts on Learn With Mahesh

📚 Official Sources

  1. National Portal of India – States and Union Territories: Official Government Source
  2. Press Information Bureau, Ministry of Home Affairs – Renaming of Port Blair as Sri Vijaya Puram: Official PIB Release

Last Updated: 19 August 2026

Educational Note: This article is prepared for educational and competitive-examination preparation purposes. Students appearing for examinations should also refer to the latest official notifications wherever a question relates to a recent administrative change.

Follow Learn With Mahesh for daily Current Affairs, Static GK, Indian Geography and Government Exam MCQs.

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