The political framework of India

Political Outline

Current Political Leaders

President: Droupadi Murmu (since 25 July 2022) - BJP
Prime Minister: Narendra Modi (since 26 May 2014) – BJP

Next Election Dates

Presidential: August 2027
Council of States: January 2026
House of the People: April 2029

Current Political Context

In order to elect all 543 members of the Lok Sabha, India conducted general elections in seven phases between April 19 and June 1, 2024. To secure his third term as prime minister, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on June 7, 2024, that he had secured the backing of 293 Members of Parliament for President Droupadi Murmu. With the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) from Andhra Pradesh and the Janata Dal (United) from Bihar emerging as important allies, this was also his first time leading a coalition administration (in the 2014 and 2019 elections, his Bharatiya Janata Party had already won an absolute majority). The Indian National Congress (INC) and numerous regional parties created the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) in 2023, which served as the main opposition. Although the NDA as a whole won 293 of the 543 seats in the Lok Sabha, the BJP lost its sole majority and gained 240 seats, down from the 303 it had won in 2019. With 234 seats, 99 of which were won by the Congress, the INDIA alliance exceeded expectations and became the formal opposition for the first time in a decade.
 Since Russia invaded Ukraine, New Delhi has been heavily criticized by the West for not joining international sanctions and for not denouncing the attack. Economic relations between Russia and India have greatly improved as a result of Western sanctions that have restricted Russia's access to international markets. In 2024, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made two trips to Russia after a five-year hiatus, reinforcing the value that both nations take on their relationship.

Main Political Parties

The main parties in India include:

- Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP): right-wing, pro-Hindu, nationalist ideology; heads the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) coalition and has been the ruling political party of India for the past decade
- Indian National Congress (INC): centre to centre-left, big tent party, social democratic, secular; a major party involved in the independence movement; heads the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance opposition coalition
- Samajwadi Party (SP): socialist, left-wing
- All India Trinamool Congress (AITC): centre to centre-right, Bengali nationalist, populist
- Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK): centre-left, social democratic, regionalist
- Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP): centre-left, regional, based in the state of Andhra Pradesh
- Janata Dal (United - JDU): socialism, left-wing
- Shiv Sena (SHS): right-wing, conservatism
- Biju Janata Dal (BJD): centre to centre-left, social democratic, liberal, populist
- Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP): centre-left, social equality. India's third major political party, whose electorate is mainly composed of Dalits and low castes
- Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS): centre, populism
- Telugu Desam Party (TDP): centre-right, neoliberal, populist, regionalist
- Communist Party of India (CPI): far-left, Communist, Marxist-Leninist
- Nationalist Congress Party (NCP): centre to centre-left, nationalist
- National People's Party (NPP): centre to centre-left, regionalist, ethnocentrist
- Aam Aadmi Party (AAP): centre-left, populist

Executive Power

The President is the Chief of State and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. While the President is the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces, the role is largely ceremonial in practice, with defense decisions being made by the government. The President acts on the advice of the Council of Ministers, led by the Prime Minister. He/she is indirectly elected for a five-year term by an electoral college, which consists of elected members of both houses of Parliament as well as the legislative assemblies of each of India's states and territories.
The Prime Minister is the Head of Government and is chosen by Lok Sabha members (House of the People, lower chamber) of the majority party, following legislative elections, to serve a term of five years. The President, on the recommendation of the Prime Minister, appoints the Cabinet.

Legislative Power

The Indian legislature is bicameral. The Parliament consists of the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) and the House of the People (Lok Sabha). The Council of States has 245 members serving a six-year term, while the House of the People has 543 members serving a five-year term, plus 2 additional members of the Anglo-Indian Community nominated by the President.

Indicator of Freedom of the Press

World Rank:

142/180

Indicator of Political Freedom

Ranking:

Free

Political Freedom:

2/7

Political freedom in the world (interactive map)
Source: Freedom in the World Report, Freedom House