• PRIYANKA PAKHARE

Cooperative federalism in India signifies collaboration between the Union and State governments to address national challenges and pursue shared developmental goals. Despite the constitutional emphasis on cooperation, recent political and institutional trends reveal increasing centralization. Effective governance, however, demands joint efforts across Union, State, and local levels, emphasizing shared responsibilities over rigid authority divisions. It argues that although cooperative federalism remains integral to India’s administrative structure, it increasingly converges with elements of competitive federalism, thereby shaping a dynamic Centre-State relationship that balances institutional collaboration with state-level innovation to effectively respond to regional disparities and national imperatives. The paper argues that India’s cooperative federalism is, in practice, evolving into a form of “coercive federalism,” wherein negotiation serves more as a constitutional formality than a tool of equitable governance. The study critically assesses the extent of genuine state autonomy and the influence of negotiation, political bargaining, and judicial intervention on cooperative federalism’s practical application. The study concludes that strengthening genuine state autonomy is essential for preserving India’s federal spirit and ensuring a constitutional balance.

Centre, State, Federalism

"The Role of States in Shaping India’s Cooperative Federalism: A Study of Autonomy and Negotiation", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.13, Issue 2, page no.b724-b734, February-2026, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2602196.pdf

"The Role of States in Shaping India’s Cooperative Federalism: A Study of Autonomy and Negotiation", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.13, Issue 2, page no. ppb724-b734, February-2026, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2602196.pdf