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Etymology
Main article: Etymology of the names of India
The name
 India
(IPA:
/'ɪndiə/
) is derived from 
 Indus
 
,which is derived from theOld Persianword 
 Hindu
,fromSanskrit 
Sindhu
, the historic local appellation for theIndus River .
[14]
The ancient Greeksreferred to the ancient Indians as
 Indoi
, the people of the Indus.
[15]
 The Constitution of Indiaand common usage in various Indian languages also recognise
 Bharat 
( pronunciation(help·info
 
),
/bʰɑː
rət
  ̪/
) as an official name of equal status.
[16]
 
 Hindustan
(/hin
  ̪
d
  ̪
ust
  ̪
 
ɑː
n/ (info)), which is thePersian word for “Land of theHindus” and historically referred tonorthern India,is also occasionally used as a synonym for all of India.
[17]
History
Main articles:  History of Indiaand  History of Republic of India
Stone Age rock shelters with paintings at theRock Shelters of Bhimbetka in Madhya Pradesh are the earliest known traces of human life in India. The first known permanent settlements appeared over 9,000 years ago and graduallydeveloped into theIndus Valley Civilization
 
,
[18]
 dating back to 3300 BCE in western India. It was followed by the Vedic Civilization,which laid the foundations of Hinduism and other cultural aspects of early Indian society. From around 550 BCE, many independent kingdoms and republics known as the Mahajanapadaswere established across the country.
[19]
Paintings at theAjanta Cavesin Aurangabad, Maharashtra.2nd century BCE
[20]
The empire built by theMaurya dynastyunder Emperor Ashoka united most of South Asiain the third century BCE.
[21]
From 180 BCE, a series of invasions from Central Asiafollowed, including those led by theIndo-Greeks
 
, Indo-Scythians
 
, Indo-Parthians andKushansin the north-western Indian Subcontinent. From the third century CE, theGupta dynastyoversaw the period referred to as ancient "India's Golden Age."
[22][23]
While the north had larger, fewer kingdoms,south India had several dynasties such as theRashtrakutas, Chalukyas, Pallavas andCholas, which overlapped in time and territory.
[
citation needed 
]
 Science, engineering
 
, art, literature, astronomy
 
,and philosophyflourished under the patronage of these kings.Following invasions from Central Asia between the tenth and twelfth centuries, much of north India came under therule of the Delhi Sultanate
 
, and later the Mughal dynasty.Mughal emperors gradually expanded their kingdoms to cover large parts of the subcontinent. Nevertheless, several indigenous kingdoms, such as theVijayanagara Empire,flourished, especially in the south. In the seventeenth and eighteenth century, the Mughal supremacy declined and theMaratha Empirebecame the dominant power. From the sixteenth century, several European countries, including Portugal
 
,  Netherlands, France,and the United Kingdom
 
,started arriving as traders and later took advantage of thefractious nature of relations between the kingdoms to establishcolonies in the country. By 1856, most of India was under the control of theBritish East India Company.
[24]
A year later, a nationwide insurrection of rebelling military unitsand kingdoms, variously referred to as theFirst War of Indian Independence or  Sepoy Mutiny
 
, seriously challengedBritish rule but eventually failed. As a consequence, India came under the direct control of the British Crown as a colony of theBritish Empire.
 
Mahatma Gandhi(right) with Jawaharlal Nehru,1937. Nehru would go on to become India's first prime minister in 1947.During the first half of the twentieth century, a nationwide struggle for independence was launched by the Indian  National Congressand other political organisations. Led by Mahatma Gandhi, and displaying commitment to
ahimsa
,or non-violence, millions of protesters engaged in mass campaigns of  civil disobedience.
[25]
 Finally, on 15 August 1947,  India gained independence from British rule, but was partitioned
 
,in accordance to wishes of the Muslim League
 
, alongthe lines of religion to create theIslamic nation-state of  Pakistan.
[26]
Three years later, on26 January 1950
 
,India became a republic and a new constitutioncame into effect.
[8]
Since independence, India has experienced sectarian violence and insurgenciesin various parts of the country, but has maintained its unity and democracy. It has unresolved territorial disputes with China, which in 1962 escalated into the brief  Sino-Indian War ;and with Pakistan, which resulted in wars in 1947
 
, 1965, 1971,and 1999.India is a founding member of the Non-Aligned Movement and the United Nations(as part of British India). In 1974, India conducted an underground nuclear test.
[27]
 This was followed by five more tests in 1998, making India a nuclear state.
[27]
Beginning in1991, significant economic reforms
[28]
 have transformed India intoone of the fastest-growing economiesin the world, adding to its global and regional clout.
[29]
Government
Main article:Government of India
India is the largest democracyin the world.
[11]
 The Constitutiondefines India as asovereign
 
, socialist, secular , democratic republic.
[30]
 India has a quasi-federal form of government
[31]
 and a bicameral  parliament operating under aWestminster-style  parliamentary system. It has three branches of governance: theLegislature
 
, Executive, andJudiciary. The President of India is the official head of state
[32]
 elected indirectly by anelectoral college
[33]
 for a five-year term.
[34][35]
The Prime Minister  is, however, the
de facto
 head of government and exercises most executive powers.
[32]
The Prime Minister is appointed by the President and, byconvention, is the candidate supported by the party or   political allianceholding the majority of seats in the lower house of Parliament.
[32]
The legislature of India is the bicameralParliament,which consists of the upper house called the Rajya Sabha (Council of States) and the lower house called theLok Sabha (House of People).
[36]
 The Rajya Sabha, a permanent body, has upto 250 members serving staggered six year terms.
[37]
 Most are elected indirectly by the state and territorial legislatures in proportion to the state's population.
[37]
 The Lok Sabha's 545 members are directly elected by popular vote torepresent individualconstituenciesfor five year terms.
[37]
The executive branch consists of the President, Vice-President, and the Council of Ministers (the Cabinet  being its executive committee) headed by the Prime Minister. Any minister holding a portfolio must be a member of either houseof parliament. In the Indian parliamentary system, the executive is subordinate to the legislature, with the PrimeMinister and his Council being directly responsible to the lower house of the parliament.
[38]
India has a unitary three-tier judiciary, consisting of theSupreme Court
 
,headed by the Chief Justice of India,twenty- one High Courts
 
,and a large number of trial courts.
[39]
The Supreme Court has original jurisdiction over cases involvingfundamental rightsand over disputes between states and the Centre, and appellate jurisdiction over the High Courts.
[40]
 
National symbols of India
[112]
Flag
Tricolour 
Emblem
Sarnath Lion Capital
Anthem
 Jana Gana Mana
Song
Vandē Mātaram
Animal
Royal Bengal Tiger 
Bird
Indian Peacock 
Flower
Lotus
Tree
Banyan
Fruit
Mango
Sport
Field hockey
Calendar
Saka
 
It is judicially independent
 
,
[39]
 and has the power to declare the law and to strike down union or state laws whichcontravene theConstitution.
[41]
Politics
Main article: Politics of India
The  North Block , in New Delhi, houses key government offices For most of its democratic history, the federalGovernment of India has been led by the Indian National Congress (INC).
[42]
 State politics have been dominated by several national parties including the INC, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Communist Party of India(CPI), and various regional parties. From 1950 to 1990, the INC enjoyed a  parliamentary majority barring two brief periods. The INC was out of power between 1977 and 1980, when theJanataPartywon the election owing to public discontent with the "Emergency" declared by the then Prime Minister  Indira Gandhi.In 1989, a Janata Dal led National Front coalition in alliance with the Left Frontcoalition won the elections but managed to stay in power for only two years.
[43]
The years 1996–1998 were a period of turmoil in the federal government with several short-lived alliances holdingsway. The BJP formed a government briefly in 1996, followed by the United Front coalition. In 1998, the BJP formed the  National Democratic Alliance (NDA) with several regional parties and became the first non-Congress government to complete a full five-year term.
[44]
 In the2004 Indian elections,the INC won the largest number of Lok Sabha seats and formed a government with a coalition called the United Progressive Alliance(UPA), supported by various left- leaning parties and members opposed to the BJP.
[45]
Foreign relations and the military
Main articles:  Foreign relations of India and   Indian Armed Forces
The Nuclear capableAgni-II ballistic missile during a Republic Day parade. Since independence in 1947, India has maintained cordial relationships with most nations. It took a leading role in the1950s by advocating the independence of  European colonies in Africa and Asia. India is one of the founding members of the  Non-Aligned Movement.
[46]
 After theSino-Indian War  and the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965
 
,India's relationshipwith the Soviet Union warmed at the expense of ties with theUnited States and continued to remain so until the end of  the Cold War. India has fought and won several wars with Pakistan, primarily over  Kashmir .India also fought an additional war with Pakistan for thethe liberation of Bangladesh in 1971. Despite criticism and military sanctions, India has consistently refused to sign the CTBT and the NPT
 
, preferringinstead to maintain sovereignty over its nuclear program. Recent overtures by the Indian government have strengthenedrelations with the United States, China, and Pakistan. In the economic sphere, India has close relationships with other developing nations inSouth America,Asia, andAfrica. In recent years, India has played an influential role in the ASEAN, SAARC,and the WTO. India has been a long time supporter of the United Nations,with over 55,000 Indian
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