The CPI considers the December 26, 1925 Cawnpore (Kanpur) conference as its foundation date.^[⁶^]^[⁷^]^[⁸^] Between 1946 and 1951, the CPI led militant struggles such as the peasant revolt in Telangana, organising guerrilla warfare against feudal lords.^[⁹^] The CPI was the main opposition party in India during the 1950s to 1960s.^[¹⁰^] In 1964, a split in the CPI led to the formation of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), which eventually emerged as the larger of the two parties. CPI supported the rule of Indira Gandhi, but later changed course and embraced left unity. CPI was part of the ruling United Front government from 1996 to 1998 and had two ministers under Devegowda and Gujral Ministry.

Currently, the CPI has two members in Lok Sabha and two members in Rajya Sabha. In addition, it has 22 MLAs across four states and one in each MLC in Bihar and Telangana. It has the current ECI status of a state party in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Manipur.^[¹¹^] As of December 2023, the CPI is a part of the state government in Kerala led by LDF. The CPI have four Cabinet Ministers and a Deputy Speaker in Kerala. In Tamil Nadu, it is in power with SPA coalition led by DMK.