Empire · since 1947 · Middle East & South Asia
Republic of India
Also known as India
Independent India was born at midnight on 15 August 1947, when British rule ended and the subcontinent was partitioned, displacing some 15 million people. Jawaharlal Nehru became prime minister, while Vallabhbhai Patel persuaded or forced over 500 princely states to join the new nation.
The constitution of 1950, drafted under B. R. Ambedkar, created a secular, federal parliamentary democracy with universal suffrage. India fought wars with Pakistan and China, absorbed Goa from Portugal in 1961 and Sikkim in 1975, and followed a planned, largely state-led economy and a foreign policy of non-alignment. Democracy was suspended only once, during Indira Gandhi's Emergency of 1975–77. Economic liberalisation from 1991 brought rapid growth, and India tested nuclear weapons in 1974 and 1998.
- Years
- since 1947
- Capital
- New Delhi
- Greatest extent
- 1975, about 3.29 million km²
- Region
- Middle East & South Asia
After Sikkim joined; India also claims areas held by Pakistan and China
Legacy
India is the world's most populous country and largest democracy, with nearly a billion eligible voters.
Rulers
- Jawaharlal Nehru 1947–1964
First prime minister
- Vallabhbhai Patel 1947–1950
Deputy prime minister who integrated the princely states
- Indira Gandhi 1966–1977, 1980–1984
Won the 1971 war; declared the Emergency; assassinated
- P. V. Narasimha Rao 1991–1996
Launched economic liberalisation
- Atal Bihari Vajpayee 1996, 1998–2004
First full-term prime minister from outside Congress
- Narendra Modi 2014–
Prime minister
Realms on the map
- Republic of India since 1947