In Indian geography, how many States and Union Territories together have a coastline along the sea (including both mainland and island territories)?

Introduction / Context:
India has a long coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, as well as island territories in the Indian Ocean. Questions on political and physical geography often ask how many States and Union Territories share this coastline. Knowing these numbers requires a clear mental map of India's coastal states and island territories, which is also useful for understanding ports, fisheries and maritime security.

Given Data / Assumptions:

- The question asks for the combined count of coastal States and coastal Union Territories of India. - Both mainland coastline and island coastlines are to be considered. - Options express the count as pairs of "States and Union Territories". - You must know which specific States and Union Territories have sea coasts.

Concept / Approach:
The concept here is to systematically list all coastal States and all coastal Union Territories. On the mainland, the States with coastline are Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal, giving a total of 9 States. Among Union Territories, the ones with coastline are Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Puducherry and the coastal Union Territory containing Daman and Diu (and related coastal enclaves). Together, these make 4 coastal Union Territories. The approach is to count carefully rather than guessing, and then match the correct pair with the options.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
Verification can be done by referring to a political map of India that highlights State and Union Territory boundaries and coastlines. Carefully tracing the coastline from the Gujarat coast down to Kanyakumari and then along the Bay of Bengal up to West Bengal confirms the 9 States. A separate look at the islands and small coastal Union Territories confirms Andaman and Nicobar, Lakshadweep, Puducherry and Daman and Diu as the coastal Union Territories. Since this count consistently appears in standard geography textbooks and exam guides, 9 States and 4 Union Territories is the correct answer.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
8 States and 4 Union Territories is incorrect because it would imply leaving out one of the nine coastal States, such as Goa or West Bengal. 9 States and 3 Union Territories undercounts the Union Territories by ignoring one of the island or enclave territories. 7 States and 5 Union Territories misrepresents both numbers, undercounting States and overcounting Union Territories. None of the above is wrong because there is in fact an option that matches the accurate counts: 9 coastal States and 4 coastal Union Territories.

Common Pitfalls:
A common mistake is forgetting small coastal States like Goa or not recognising West Bengal as a coastal State because its coastline is relatively short. Another pitfall is confusion over Union Territories and their recent administrative changes, which can lead to miscounting. To avoid these errors, regularly practise listing the coastal States from north-west to north-east and separately memorise the coastal Union Territories and their rough locations on the map.

Final Answer:
India has 9 States and 4 Union Territories that share the country's coastline.