Page "Politics in India" Paragraph 1

India is a nation that is characterized as a " sovereign socialist secular democratic republic ".

Like the United States, India has had a federal form of government since it adopted its constitution.

However, the central government in India has greater power in relation to its states, and its central government is patterned after the British parliamentary system.

The national government has the power to dismiss state governments under specific constitutional clauses or in case no majority party or coalition is able to form a government.

The central government can also impose direct federal rule known as president's rule ( or central rule ).

Locally, the Panchayati Raj system has several administrative functions.