Constitution of India

PART I

The Union and Its Territory

Article 1 - Name and territory of the Union.

(1) India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States.

(2) The States and the territories thereof shall be as specified in the First Schedule.

(3) The territory of India shall comprise—

(a) the territories of the States;

(b) the Union territories specified in the First Schedule; and

(c) such other territories as may be acquired

Explanation/Comment -

There was no unanimity in the Constituent Assembly with regard to the name of the country; some members suggested the traditional name, "Bharat," while others suggested the modern name, "India." Hence, the Constituent Assembly had to adopt a mix of both: "India, that is Bharat.

Article 1 describes India, that is, Bharat, as a "union of states" rather than a "federation of states." although its Constitution is federal in structure. which was defined by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar as "Indian Federation," is not the result of an agreement among states like the United States, and states have no right to secede from the federation. The federation is a union because it is indestructible. The country is a unified whole that is divided into states only for administrative purposes. 

The following are the names of the states and union territories as listed in the First Schedule to the Indian Constitution: (subject to amendment)

I. THE STATES

1. Andhra Pradesh, 2. Assam, 3. Bihar, 4. Gujarat, 5. Kerala, 6. Madhya Pradesh, 7. Tamil Nadu, 8. Maharashtra, 9. Karnataka, 10. Odisha, 11. Punjab, 12. Rajasthan, 13. Uttar Pradesh, 14. West Bengal, 15. Nagaland, 16. Haryana, 17. Himachal Pradesh, 18. Manipur, 19. Tripura, 20. Meghalaya, 21. Sikkim, 22. Mizoram, 23.  Arunachal Pradesh, 24. Goa, 25. Chhattisgarh, 26. Uttarakhand, 27. Jharkhand 28. Telangana

II. THE UNION TERRITORIES

1. Delhi, 2. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands, 3. Lakshadweep 4. Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu* 

*(Entry 4 relating to Dadra and Nagar Haveli was ins. by the Constitution (Tenth Amendment ) Act, 1961, s.2 (w.e.f. 11-8-1961) and subsequently subs. by the Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (Merger of Union territories) Act, 2019 (44 of 2019), s.5, for entries 4 and 5 (w.e.f. 26-1-2020). 

6. Puducherry, 7. Chandigarh, 8. Jammu and Kashmir, 9. Ladakh

Being a sovereign state, India is permitted to acquire foreign territories using the methods permitted by international law, including cession (following a treaty, purchase, gift, lease, or plebiscite), occupation (by a recognized ruler who has not yet occupied the territory), conquest, or subjugation.