India Markets to Be Shut for 15 Days in 2026, Holiday Calendar Shows 7 Long Weekends

The India Markets are all set for a structured holiday calendar in 2026 that will see trading suspended for a total of 15 weekdays under the official schedule released by the National Stock Exchange (NSE) and Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), this early announcement gives traders, investors and financial planners a clear view of non-trading dates so they can better manage positions, expiries and strategic entries or exits in the stock market throughout the year.

According to the official holiday list, the 15 designated market closure days include major national and religious observances such as Republic Day on January 26, Holi on March 3, Good Friday on April 3, and Christmas on December 25. These closures apply to equity, equity derivatives and currency trading segments, and are recognized across both exchanges.

In addition to these 15 regular closures, the calendar is notable for offering seven long weekends, where a market holiday falls on a Friday or Monday, creating extended breaks around weekends. These long weekends are important for investors and traders alike, especially those who may be planning travel, risk management or portfolio review sessions in 2026.

Understanding the 2026 Trading Holiday Schedule

The India Markets holiday schedule reflects a mix of cultural, national and religious observances, spread evenly across the year. This spread gives market participants multiple opportunities to plan ahead and manage their trading activities.

The official list includes 15 full trading holidays on weekdays in 2026, such as:

• January 26 (Monday): Republic Day
• March 3 (Tuesday): Holi
• March 26 (Thursday): Ram Navami
• March 31 (Tuesday): Shri Mahavir Jayanti
• April 3 (Friday): Good Friday
• April 14 (Tuesday): Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar Jayanti
• May 1 (Friday): Maharashtra Day
• May 28 (Thursday): Bakri-Id
• June 26 (Friday): Muharram
• September 14 (Monday): Ganesh Chaturthi
• October 2 (Friday): Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti
• October 20 (Tuesday): Dussehra
• November 10 (Tuesday): Diwali-Balipratipada
• November 24 (Tuesday): Guru Nanak Dev’s Prakash Gurpurab
• December 25 (Friday): Christmas

These holiday dates ensure that across the calendar year, there are multiple moments when the markets will be shut for festivals or national observances, and this list does not reflect the standard weekends like Saturdays and Sundays when trading is already closed.

Why Holiday Planning Matters for Traders and Investors

A clear holiday calendar is a valuable tool for anyone active in the India Markets or tracking broader financial trends, especially when planning around events like index rebalances, expiry dates and volatility spikes. These closures can affect liquidity, settlement cycles and trading costs.

For example, holidays that create long weekends offer time for rest and reflection, but they also mean that open interest in futures and options remains unchanged for longer than normal, which can affect strategies based on time decay or short-term technical setups. Traders conducting detailed stock research should especially be aware of these holiday dates when planning entries and exits.

In addition, retail investors focusing on sectors such as technology or AI stocks may need to take into account these closures when assessing market sentiment or scheduling portfolio rebalancing, since a series of non-trading days can amplify news impact once markets reopen.

Seven Long Weekends to Watch in 2026

One of the features of the 2026 holiday calendar is the occurrence of seven long weekends, where a holiday either falls adjacent to a weekend or extends the break into three or more days. Such long weekends can be particularly useful for planning travel or personal time, but they also have implications for market behaviour.

Long weekends offer potential shifts in trading volumes, as many institutional traders may reduce exposure ahead of extended breaks. This can lead to lower liquidity and higher volatility when markets reopen. Traders should plan position sizing carefully around these periods, as news events over holiday breaks can trigger sharp market moves once trading resumes.

Some notable long weekend setups in 2026 include holidays such as Good Friday on April 3 (Friday), Maharashtra Day on May 1 (Friday), Muharram on June 26 (Friday) and Christmas on December 25 (Friday), each of which naturally extends the break into a three-day weekend.

What the 2026 Holiday Calendar Means for Different Market Segments

For equity traders, derivatives participants and currency segment investors, these 15 market closures represent days when no trading will occur in the regular session, some custom sessions like Muhurat Trading during Diwali Laxmi Pujan (which falls on a Sunday in 2026) may offer symbolic one-hour trading sessions even though the market is officially closed.

Commodity exchanges such as MCX and NCDEX may have separate schedules that differ slightly from the equity markets, and traders in those segments should consult exchange circulars for precise session details, but the overall calendar provides a solid baseline for planning across all asset classes.

Impact on Trading Strategies and Investment Decisions

Having such a comprehensive holiday calendar well in advance helps in managing important aspects of trading:

• Expiry Planning: Futures and options expiries can be impacted by holidays that shift settlement schedules.
• Liquidity Management: Long breaks can mean lower trading volumes leading into or out of holidays.
• Risk Assessment: News events during holidays cannot be acted upon until markets reopen, often causing gaps.
• Position Holding Costs: Carry costs and rollover strategies must account for extended non-trading periods.

Retail and institutional investors who perform consistent stock research benefit from understanding when markets are closed, allowing them to avoid surprise gaps and better structure their watchlists around key dates.

Conclusion

The India Markets will remain closed for a total of 15 prescribed holidays in 2026, spread across national, religious and cultural occasions. The holiday list also includes seven long weekends, giving traders and investors valuable extended breaks throughout the year.

Advance knowledge of these dates helps market participants plan their year effectively, manage risk around open interest, and align trading strategies with the market’s rhythm.

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Disclaimer:

The content shared by Meyka AI PTY LTD is solely for research and informational purposes. Meyka is not a financial advisory service, and the information provided should not be considered investment or trading advice.