The President of India, officially the President of the Republic of India, is the ceremonial head of state of India and the commander-in-chief of the Indian Armed Forces. The office of President was created when India became a republic on 26 January 1950, when its constitution came into force. From 1947 to 1950, India was a realm as the Dominion of India within the Commonwealth of Nations, with George VI as the head of state and King of India.