How Many Union Territories are There in India?

A Union Territory (UT) in India is a type of administrative region that is directly governed by the Central Government of India, unlike a state which is governed by the local body and has its own government.

Key features of a Union Territory

A Union territory is Governed by the President of India through an Administrator or Lieutenant Governor.
Union Territories do not have the same degree of autonomy as states of India has.
UTs are generally smaller in area and population than most states.

So, How Many Union Territories are There in India in 2026?

Hello guys, let me give you the straight answer first. As of October 2026, India has 8 union territories and 28 states. This number is same since 26 January 2020, when Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu were merged into one UT, as per Wikipedia.

Here is the full list in one simple table. I have also added which High Court looks after each UT, because many people get confused in this. You can read more about it in my blog on how many High Courts are there in India.

#	Union Territory	Capital	UT Since	Own Legislature?	High Court
1	Jammu and Kashmir	Srinagar (summer), Jammu (winter)	31 October 2019	Yes	High Court of J&K and Ladakh
2	Ladakh	Leh	31 October 2019	No	High Court of J&K and Ladakh
3	Delhi (NCT)	New Delhi	1 November 1956	Yes	Delhi High Court
4	Puducherry	Puducherry	16 August 1962	Yes	Madras High Court
5	Andaman and Nicobar Islands	Sri Vijaya Puram (earlier Port Blair)	1 November 1956	No	Calcutta High Court
6	Lakshadweep	Kavaratti	1 November 1956	No	Kerala High Court
7	Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu	Daman	26 January 2020	No	Bombay High Court
8	Chandigarh	Chandigarh	1 November 1966	No	Punjab and Haryana High Court

Source: Wikipedia – Union territory and The Tribune (for the new name of Port Blair).

Some quick facts which I found really interesting:

Largest UT by area: Ladakh, around 59,146 sq km.
Smallest UT: Lakshadweep, only around 32 sq km.
Most populated UT: Delhi, with around 1.68 crore people as per Census 2011.
UTs with their own Chief Minister: Delhi, Puducherry and Jammu and Kashmir.

Union Territories of India

1. Jammu & Kashmir

“The crown of India” this place is called the heaven in India, the land is bedecked in snow-capped mountains, delicious apple orchards and shimmering lakes. Dal lake in Srinagar, is the most exquisite site with houseboats and the floating market.

Huge number of Tourists visit this place for the tulips in spring and the snowfall in winter. This land is also known for pashmina shawls and saffron.

J&K became a union territory on 31 October 2019 under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, and unlike Ladakh it has its own elected assembly. It is also home to famous pilgrim places like Vaishno Devi Temple and Amarnath Cave Temple, which I have covered in separate blogs.

2. Ladakh

“The Land of High Passes” Ladakh is in the Northernmost region of the country and is a part of Himalayan regions. It is a cold desert between the tall mountains. Although the place offers crystal clear skies, making it perfect for Stargazing and stare at the crystal -clear turquoise lake like Pangong Tso that reflects heaven.

Ladakh is also quite famous among bikers and trek enthusiasts for it offers the raw beauty and adventure.

Ladakh is the biggest UT of India by area. It is also full of old Buddhist monasteries like Hemis and Thiksey, and I have covered them in my blog on 20 Buddhist monasteries in India. One more point guys, unlike J&K, Ladakh does not have its own legislature.

3. Delhi

“The Heart of India” is the central governance region. This city is a blend of ancient and the modern, where once stood the great empire of Indraprastha, is now a city that invites people from all over India, as much as Delhi is famous and important the specific areas also remain popular, be it Street food at Chandni Chowk, the quiet grace of India Gate, or the entertaining buzz of Connaught Place.

This place holds a long history dating back to the time of Mahabharata, and today it’s the political heart of the country enriched with history, culture, and student life.

Delhi is the most populated UT and it has its own elected assembly and Chief Minister. But the Centre still keeps the control on police and law and order, as per Wikipedia. If you love heritage, then do read my blogs on Qutb Minar and Sunder Nursery, two of my favourite places in Delhi.

4. Puducherry

This small city is located at the feet of India, holds a gentle Touch of France, it’s a great tourist destination with Cobbled streets with bright yellow French buildings, cafés, and seaside promenades. People here speak both the languages, Tamil and French, many are bilingual.

Shri Aurobindo ashram also attracts devotees and visitors seeking spiritual grace.

Puducherry was a part of French India for a long time, and it became a union territory of India on 16 August 1962. That is why you still see so much French style in its old town, and honestly I love walking in those streets.

5. Andaman & Nicobar Islands

One of the most admired Islands of India, known as “The Emerald Islands”. This Island is in the Bay of Bengal, to the southeast of mainland India**.** Although they lie closer to Southeast Asia than to most Indian states. This place is a paradise for the scuba divers and snorkelers, home to coral reefs and colorful fish. This island is home to tribal heritage welcoming visitors.

One big update here guys. On 13 September 2024, the Government renamed Port Blair, the capital of these islands, as Sri Vijaya Puram, as reported by The Tribune. Earlier in 2018, Havelock Island was renamed as Swaraj Dweep and Neil Island as Shaheed Dweep, as per Vision IAS. So don’t get confused when you see these new names on your ferry ticket.

6. Lakshadweep

Lakshadweep is a chain of several tiny islands floating in the Arabian sea, each of them beautifully ringed with palm trees and coral reefs, due to which it earns its name of “The Coral Paradise” Unlike Goa it’s quiet, and untouched, perfect for those seeking nature without crowds.

You will find here a unique mix of Malayali and Islamic culture.

Lakshadweep is the smallest UT of India. Its total area is only around 32 sq km and its population was just 64,473 in Census 2011, as per Wikipedia. The capital is Kavaratti.

7. Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu

This is the place where Portugal meets India, a fusion of tribal systems and Portuguese influence can be witnessed in forts, churches and the colourful festivals.

Daman and Diu make perfect contrast with Dadra and Nagar Haveli, the former offers stunning beaches and colonial glimpse and the latter offers forests and tribal art.

Earlier these were two separate union territories. They were merged into one UT on 26 January 2020 and Daman is the capital, as per Wikipedia. Because of this merger, the total number of UTs became 8.

8. Chandigarh

Chandigarh is called to be the first planned city, it is also a very important capital as it Serves as the capital for both Punjab and Haryana, also flaunting a charm of its own. The most fascinating fact about this place is how the city has been developed from a mediocre landmass to a beautiful multifunction city.

This city is clean and green with all the modern amenities to lead a comfortable and peaceful life.

Chandigarh was designed by the famous Swiss-French architect Le Corbusier, and that is why architecture lovers like me find it so special. His Capitol Complex, which has the Assembly, Secretariat and High Court buildings, became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2016.

Why Do Union Territories Exist?

Let’s understand why some countries need to come up with a plan for union territory.

Strategic Importance

Some union territories are located in geographically remote areas or regions that are prone to threats, and thus it becomes a sensitive matter for the national security or defence, that’s why these areas cannot be trusted with the local bodies to manage themselves, these require centralized governance.

Administrative Convenience

There are certain regions that are too small to be a state with area or population to function full-fledged. Direct control from the Central government makes it a simple and better method for resource allocation.

Cultural or Historical Reasons

Some union territories have a unique cultural heritage, which sets them apart from neighbouring states. The central government governs these areas to preserve their identity and ensure the just treatment.

Political or Legal Reasons

There are certain regions that suffer political instability and need to reduce the regional conflicts.

National Capital Region (NCR) Status

New Delhi serves as the centre of action for the central Government and therefore it requires a direct control by the Union Government. That is why Delhi is called the National Capital Territory (NCT).

What Makes Union Territories Unique in India?

While union territories as a concept is not alien, the Indian UTs hold some distinctive constitutional and political features, due to the country’s diversity and federal structure.

India allows some UTs to have different levels of governance, they can have their own elected governments and legislatures.

The Indian Constitution explicitly provides for UTs under Articles 239 to 241. They are not temporary or informal arrangements. The Constitution allows Parliament to decide how much power each UT has.

India chose to accept the historical influences on the country, and thus created Union Territories to manage regions with Colonial imprints (Puducherry), Unique cultures (Lakshadweep), or Political complexity (Jammu & Kashmir). Instead of forcing them into a “state” model, India tailored the UT system to suit their needs.

One small extra fact from my side guys. The idea of union territory was not there in the original Constitution of 1950. It was added in 1956 by the 7th Constitutional Amendment, as per Wikipedia.

Union Territory vs State: Main Differences

Many students ask me, what is the real difference between a state and a UT? So here is a simple table for you guys.

Point	State	Union Territory
Who runs it	Elected state government with a Chief Minister	Central Government, through an LG or Administrator appointed by the President
Head	Governor	Lieutenant Governor or Administrator
Own legislature	Every state has one	Only Delhi, Puducherry and Jammu and Kashmir
Part of Constitution	Part VI	Part VIII (Articles 239 to 241)
Seats in Rajya Sabha	All states	Only Delhi, Puducherry and Jammu and Kashmir
Police and law and order	With the state government	Mainly with the Centre

Source: Wikipedia – Union territory.

How the Number of UTs Changed Over the Years

The number of UTs in India is not fixed, it keeps changing with time. Here is a short timeline for you:

1956: The States Reorganisation Act, 1956 created the UT category, and India got 14 states and 6 UTs.
1971 to 1987: Himachal Pradesh, Manipur, Tripura, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh and Goa slowly moved from UT to full statehood.
31 October 2019: The state of Jammu and Kashmir was split into two UTs, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
26 January 2020: Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu were merged, and the number became 8.

As per Wikipedia, India also had UTs like Himachal Pradesh and Goa which later became states. So I think the list can change again in future.

Latest Update (2026): Jammu and Kashmir Statehood Demand

This is a very important update for this topic guys. On 28 September 2026, the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly passed a resolution asking the Central Government for the urgent restoration of full statehood, as reported by ThePrint. It was passed by voice vote while the BJP members walked out.

BJP leaders said that they also support statehood, but they opposed the references to Article 370 and the old autonomy demands in the resolution, as per UNI. Earlier, in December 2023, the Supreme Court upheld the 2019 changes and said that statehood should be restored at the earliest, as per PW OnlyIAS.

But as of October 2026, J&K is still a union territory, so the total count is still 8. If statehood comes back in future, then this number will become 7, and I will update this blog for you guys.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. How many union territories are there in India in 2026?

India has 8 union territories in 2026, along with 28 states.

2. Which union territories have their own legislature?

Only three UTs have their own legislature and Chief Minister: Delhi, Puducherry and Jammu and Kashmir.

3. Which is the smallest and the largest union territory of India?

Lakshadweep is the smallest UT with around 32 sq km area. Ladakh is the largest UT with around 59,146 sq km area.

4. Which is the newest union territory of India?

Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh became UTs on 31 October 2019. Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu was formed later by merger on 26 January 2020.

5. What is the new name of Port Blair?

Port Blair, the capital of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, was renamed as Sri Vijaya Puram in September 2024.

Final Words

So guys, this was all about how many union territories are there in India. Right now there are 8 UTs, from the snowy mountains of Ladakh to the coral islands of Lakshadweep. I have tried to cover the full list, their capitals, history and the latest 2026 update on J&K. If you ask me, every UT has its own story and each one is worth a visit at least once. Keep visiting The Indian Architecture for more such blogs.

Also Read:

Sources

Last Updated: October 20, 2026