List of capitals of India

Early period

• Rajgir : Initial capital of the Magadha Empire from 6th century BCE to 460 BCE, called Girivraj at the time.
• Pataliputra: Capital of the following:
• Begram and Mathura: Summer and winter capitals respectively of the Kushan Empire
• Amaravati and Pratishthānapura: Capitals of Satavahana Empire
• Kannauj: Capital of Harshavardhana's short lived empire; also of Pratiharas.
• Manyakheta, Avanti: Capitals of Rashtrakuta Dynasty and Pratihara Empire respectively.
• Gadhipur: centre of administration of the Gupta dynasty. Capital under Jamwal kings Gaadhi and Vishwamitra.
• Puhar: Capital of Early Cholas.
• Madurai: Capital of Pandyas
• Gauḍa: Capital of Pala dynasty along with Pataliputra
• Sigal: First capital of the Sakas 70bce-400
• Taxila: Second capital of the Sakas 70bce-400
• Mathura: Third capital of the Sakas 70bce-400
• Sagala: Capital of the Indo-Greeks
• Bhinmal: Capital of Gurjara Empire
• Jaunpur: Capital of Sharqī dynasty.

  Medieval period

Modern period

• In 1858, Allahbad became the capital of India for a day when it also served as the capital of North-Western Provinces.
• During the British Raj, until 1911, Calcutta was the capital of India.
• By the latter half of the 19th century, Shimla had become the summer capital.
• King George V proclaimed the transfer of the capital from Calcutta to Delhi at the climax of the 1911 Imperial Durbar on 12 December 1911. The buildings housing the Viceroy, government and parliament were inaugurated in early 1931.