As one of the 17 megadiverse countries of the world and with four biodiversity hotspots represented in its borders, India is home to an impressive diversity of life forms. However, much work remains to document and catalogue the species of India and their geographic distributions, especially for diverse invertebrate groups. In the present study, a comprehensive and critical list of Indian ant species is provided with up-to-date state-wise distribution. A total of 828 valid species and subspecies names belonging to 100 genera are listed from India. Potential erroneous data, misidentifications and dubious distributional records that may exist in the literature are also identified. The present exhaustive listing of Indian ants will provide a holistic view about diversity and distribution and will also help to identify major undersampled areas where future sampling and taxonomic efforts should be directed.

Two new species of Tetramorium Mayr, namely T. shivalikense sp. n. and T. triangulatum sp. n. are described. Tetramorium triangulatum sp. n. belongs to the ingl

Vollenhovia gastropunctata Bharti et Kumar, sp. n. (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) is described and illustrated based on the worker caste from India. A key to the Indian species of Vollenhovia Mayr, 1865 is provided

The Indian species of the ant genus Cerapachys Smith are keyed. Twelve species are recognized of which 6 are described as new. The species are: C. aitkenii Fore

Echinopla cherapunjiensis Bharti et Gul, sp. n. is described from India. This represents the second species of genus reported in India, with only Echinopla lineata senilis Mayr, 1862 described earlier from Nicobar Islands. The species distinctly differs from all other known species of this genus by the following combination of characters: globose shape of head, presence of seven teeth on petiolar scale, flat dorsum of mesosoma with promesonotal and mesometanotal sutures obsolete, whole body surface (dorsum) rough due to sinuous sculpture, deep excavations and spiky elevations on head and mesosoma and excavations on gaster.