India is surrounded by water on three sides and has a vast coastline, which contributes to numerous islands within its territory. The exact count of islands can vary depending on how one defines an "island" and whether they're inhabited or not.
As of my last update in early 2022, India has around 1,382 offshore islands, including those in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal and the Lakshadweep Islands in the Arabian Sea. Among these, about 572 islands belong to the Andaman and Nicobar group, while around 36 islands are part of the Lakshadweep archipelago.
Remember, some of these islands might only be visible during low tide or might be extremely small and uninhabited. The number may also change due to geographical factors like erosion, land reclamation, or changes in the coastline
