India is considered a federal country because its Constitution divides powers between the central government and the state governments through a clear division of subjects into the Union List, State List, and Concurrent List. It has an independent judiciary that can resolve disputes between central and state governments. The Rajya Sabha represents the states equally, irrespective of their size or population. Additionally, some states in India have special autonomous status under the Constitution. These features establish a federal structure where power and governance are shared between multiple levels of government.

Key Reasons India is Federal:

• Division of powers: The Constitution allocates subjects to the Union, State, and Concurrent Lists, clearly defining the jurisdiction of central and state governments.
• Independent Judiciary: The Supreme Court can adjudicate conflicts between the center and states, protecting constitutional provisions.
• Representation of States: The Rajya Sabha represents the states in the federal legislative process equally.
• Special Status: Certain states have special provisions granting them more autonomy than others.
• Constitutional rigidity ensures that changes to the division of powers require the consent of both the central and state governments.
• India has a multi-tier government system: central, state, and local levels, each with independent jurisdictions.

This makes India a quasi-federal country with a balance of federal and unitary features under its Constitution, designed to manage governance over its vast and diverse population effectively.