For historical and other uses of India, see India (disambiguation).

India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. India has a coastline of over seven thousand kilometres, and borders PakistanThe Government of India considers the entire state of Jammu and Kashmir to be a part of India including the portion bordering Afghanistan. A ceasefire sponsored by the United Nations in 1948 freezes the positions of Indian and Pakistani held territory. As a consequence, the region bordering Afghanistan is in Pakistani-administered territory. to the west, Nepal, the People's Republic of China and Bhutan to the north-east, and Bangladesh and Myanmar to the east. In the Indian Ocean, it is adjacent to the island nations of Sri Lanka, Maldives and Indonesia.

Home to the Indus Valley Civilization, a centre of important trade routes and vast empires, India has long played a major role in human history. Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism and Jainism all have their origins in India, while Islam and Christianity enjoy a strong cultural heritage. Colonised as part of the British Empire in the nineteenth century, India gained independence in 1947 as a unified nation after an intense struggle for independence. The country's population, wildlife, geographical terrain and climate system are among the most diverse in the world.

Etymology

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The name India // is derived from Indus, which is derived from the Old Persian word Hindu, from Sanskrit Sindhu, the historic local appellation for the Indus River. The Constitution of India and common usage also recognise Bharat (), as an official name of equal status. A third name, Hindustan () (Persian: Land of the Hindus < Old Persian Hindu, India / land of the Indus < Sanskrit Sindhu, any river/the Indus) has been used since the twelfth century, though its contemporary use is unevenly applied.

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India-The Times of India

NSG meet today to decide on waiver for India
As the Nuclear Suppliers Group gather this morning, India will be seeking the nod to be able to keep both civilian and military nuke programmes without signing the NPT.
Kalam moots single agency for intelligence-gathering
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Hindustan Times News Feeds 'India'

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Educated bombers on the prowl
All nine suspects in the July 26 serial bombings in Gujarat are well educated — at least two of them possessing degrees in Psychology and Commerce — investigators told HT.

The Indian Express

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INDIA-1 of the best rated videos on YouTube : India's amazing diversityoffers you everything you could ever want in a holiday. From the moment that you set foot in India to be greeted by a graceful namaste, a gesturethat denotes both welcome and respect, you are on the way to one of the most rewarding experiences of your life.