Inter State Councils

India is a democratic, federal system of government. in which two-tier government ensure unity in diversity and acquire common national goals between the Central Government, and the State governments. to maintain harmonious relation between the Centre and the states, The Parliament of India has inter-state councils under Article 263.

Cooperative Federalism

Federal term is not mention anywhere in the Constitution of India. it is used for the structure of governance. in federal nature of  governments both the Union and the States governments have separate legislative, executive and judicial wings of governance. Secondly, the jurisdictions, powers and functions of the Union and the State Governments clearly demarcated by the Constitution of India.

Indian federation system of governance at the national, state and local levels enables that the country mobilizes all its resources to maintain its harmony, integrity and progress of the country.

it is seen in India that when the central and states governments were the same political party, the cooperative framework worked very well between center and States governments, on the other hand when different political parties are in power in the centre and the states, there are signs of stresses and tensions in intergovernmental relations. the Article 263 of the Constitution provide set up of an Inter-State Council for investigation, discussion and recommendation for better coordination between the centre and the states governments. under the State Reorganization Act 1956 there is a provision of set up the Zonal Councils, which provide another institutional mechanism to resolve the differences and strengthen the framework of cooperation between centre, state and inter-state cooperation. The National Development Council, the National Integration Council have been set up by various ministries to strengthen cooperation, between the Centre and the States, to share mutual concerns on various issues.major challenges for the Indian federation is, how best these mechanisms of cooperative federalism can be strengthened between the Centre and the States.