There are currently 28 states and 8 Union Territories that make up the present union of India.

1. States:
- The states of India have their own elected governments and have the power to make laws on several subjects. There are 28 states in India.
- Each state has its own capital city and is further divided into districts for administrative purposes.
- Some of the major states in India include Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka.

2. Union Territories:
- Union Territories, on the other hand, are regions that are directly administered by the central government of India.
- Unlike states, Union Territories do not have their own elected governments and are governed by an administrator appointed by the President of India.
- There are 8 Union Territories in India, which include Delhi, Puducherry, Chandigarh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Lakshadweep, Ladakh, and Jammu and Kashmir.

3. The recent changes:
- It's important to note that the total number of states and Union Territories in India has changed over time due to various reasons such as administrative reorganization, formation of new states, and changes in the status of Union Territories.
- For example, in 2019, the state of Jammu and Kashmir was reorganized into two separate Union Territories - Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
- Similarly, in 2020, the Union Territories of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu were merged into a single Union Territory called Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu.

In conclusion, the present union of India consists of 28 states and 8 Union Territories, making a total of 36 administrative divisions.