In India, the Constitution provides for a three-tier system of governance, consisting of the following levels of governance:

• Central Government - The highest level of governance in India, the Central Government is headed by the Prime Minister and consists of various Ministries and Departments to manage various sectors of the country.
• State Government - The second level of governance, each state in India has its own government, which consists of the Chief Minister, Council of Ministers and various Departments to manage the state's affairs.
• Local Government - The lowest level of governance, local self-government institutions such as Municipalities, Panchayats and Municipal Corporations are responsible for decision-making at the local level and are empowered to undertake local developmental activities and ensure effective delivery of services to citizens.

The Constitution also provides for the division of powers between the Central and State Governments, with certain subjects such as defence, foreign affairs and currency being exclusively under the purview of the Central Government, while others such as healthcare, education and agriculture are managed by the State Governments. The local self-government institutions have limited powers, but are crucial in ensuring good governance and effective implementation of policies and programmes at the grassroots level.