In recent years, India has played a major role in ASEAN, SAARC, and the WTO. India has long been a supporter of the United Nations, with over 55000 Indian military and police personnel who served in thirty-five-keeping operations UN peacekeepers deployed on four continents. Despite criticism and military sanctions, India has consistently refused to sign the CTBT and the NPT, preferring instead to maintain sovereignty over its nuclear program. Recent offers by the Indian government has strengthened relations with the United States, China and Pakistan. In the economic sphere, India has close relations with other developing nations in South America, Asia and Africa.

India maintains the third largest military force in the world, which consists of the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force. Auxiliary forces such as the Paramilitary Forces, the Coast Guard, and the Strategic Forces Command also come under the military's purview. The President of India is the supreme commander of the Indian armed forces. India also became a nuclear state in 1974 after conducting an initial nuclear test. Further underground testing in 1998 led to international military sanctions against India, which were gradually withdrawn after September 2001. India maintains a "no-first-use" nuclear policy and has a clean record of non-proliferation.

The constitution of India, the longest and most comprehensive, the establishment of an independent nation in the world, came into force on January 26, 1950. The preamble to the Constitution defines India as a sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic. India has a quasi-federal form of government and a bicameral legislature operating under a system of parliamentary form. It has three branches in the governance of the legislature, executive and judiciary. The President of India is the Head of State elected indirectly by an electoral college for a term of five years. The Prime Minister is, however, de facto head of government and most of the exercises executive powers. The Prime Minister is appointed by the President and, by convention, is the candidate supported by the political party or alliance holds a majority of seats in the lower house of Parliament.