---
title: "Article 1: Union of States Explained | Model Diplomat"
description: "Article 1 declares India, that is Bharat, a Union of States—not a federation by agreement. Learn why Ambedkar chose 'Union' over 'Federation' and what it means."
url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/glossary/article-1-union-of-states"
---

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Model Diplomat Research Team · Last reviewed June 22, 2026

TL;DR

- Article 1 of the Constitution of India declares India, that is Bharat, to be a Union of States and defines the territory of the nation.
- Why did the Constituent Assembly use 'Union of States' rather than 'Federation of States'?
- What three categories of territory does Article 1(3) define?
- Can Parliament cede Indian territory to a foreign country under Article 1?
- How does Article 1 relate to Articles 2, 3, and 4?

[Civil Service & Diplomatic Exams](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/civil-services/glossary)Updated June 22, 2026

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## Timeline

1. 26 January 1950

   At commencement on , the First Schedule grouped units into Part A, Part B, Part C, and Part D states—a stratification reflecting their pre-independence statu…

2. 2 June 2014

   The Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014, created Telangana as the 29th state with effect from .

3. 31 October 2019

   The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, passed by Parliament in August 2019, bifurcated the former state into two union territories—Jammu and Kashmir…

4. 4 November 1948

   Ambedkar, addressing the Constituent Assembly on , explained that the Drafting Committee preferred "Union" to "Federation" for two reasons: the Indian federa…

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Example

On 31 October 2019, following the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act passed by Parliament in August 2019, India's First Schedule was amended to create two new union territories, reducing the number of states from 29 to 28.

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