The President of the Republic India enjoys vast powers and functions which are as follows:

1. Executive Powers: The President is the head of the state, so he has to make many appointments to key posts to run the administration. He appoints the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers; Governors of the states; Lt. Governors and Chief Commissioners of the Union Territories; Chief Justice and the Judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts; Chairman and members of the Union Public Service Commission, the Planning Commission, Finance, Commission etc. He is the Supreme Commanders of the Armed Forces; as such, he appoints the Chiefs of the three wings of the army. He sends and receives ambassadors to and from other countries. All treaties are signed in his name. The President can make rules and issues orders for the smooth functioning of the government.

2. Legislative Powers: The President of India has vast legislative powers also. He can summon or prorogue either house of the Parliament. He can dissolve the Lok Sabha and order fresh elections. He can address a joint session of the Parliament or each one of the Houses separately.

He is an integral part of the Parliament; therefore no bill passed by both the houses of the Parliament can become a law unless he signs it. He can issue ordinances when the Parliament is not in session.

3. Financial Powers: Our President has been given vast financial powers also. He causes the annual budget and the supplementary budget to be laid before the Parliament. No Money Bill can be introduced in the parliament without his prior assent. He can sanction money from the contingency fund.

4. Judicial Powers: The President has been given a number of powers in the judicial sphere also. He is not answerable before any court of law for the discharge of his duties. He has the powers to grant pardons, to remit or suspend a sentence of punishment on any appeal for mercy. He can commute even a death sentence to imprisonment for life or otherwise.

5. Emergency Powers: The above mentioned powers of the President are exercised by him in normal times. In addition to these powers, he also enjoys certain powers to meet abnormal situations. These are called Emergency Powers. The Constitution has made provisions for these powers to meet three specific extraordinary or abnormal situations arising in the country. 

There situations may be: 

(a) War or external aggression or armed rebellion.

(b) Failure of the constitutional machinery in any state. and 

(c) Deep financial crisis.

― In Spite of so much powers given by the

Constitution. It is said that the President does not rule but represents the nation because there is a Parliamentary form of government in which the President is only a titular head of the state. The enormous powers linked with his name are, in fact, enjoyed by the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers who come from the Parliament and are answerable to the Parliament for their act of omission and commission.