Indian Stock Market Holidays 2026: Complete NSE & BSE Holiday Calendar

By Kaushik Brahmakshatriya

Published On 31 March 2026.

Every investor — beginner or seasoned — needs to know one basic thing before hitting the “buy” or “sell” button: Is the market open today?
Missing a trading deadline because of a forgotten holiday can derail your settlement plan, disrupt your F&O expiry strategy, or even leave a pending SIP order hanging. That is why we have compiled the complete Indian stock market holiday list for 2026, covering both NSE (National Stock Exchange) and BSE (Bombay Stock Exchange) along with a few practical tips to make these off-days work in your favor.

Why Stock Market Holidays Matter for Investors

Most people assume holidays are just days of rest. For traders and investors, they are much more than that.
Under India’s T+1 settlement system, trades settled within one business day can get delayed if a holiday falls between your trade date and the settlement date. That delay can push your funds by two to three extra days, affecting your cash flow and margin requirements.
Additionally, for derivatives traders, knowing holiday dates is essential because options and futures contracts expire on specific days. A holiday near an expiry date changes the expiry schedule entirely.
For long-term investors, holidays are actually an opportunity — a built-in pause to review your portfolio, do fresh research, and plan your next move without the noise of live market action.

NSE & BSE Holiday Calendar 2026 – Full List

Both NSE and BSE follow an almost identical holiday schedule. The official 2026 calendar includes 19 declared holidays, out of which 4 fall on weekends (Saturday or Sunday). This means the market will have 15 actual trading holiday closures on weekdays during 2026.
Here is the complete list:

Note: 4 holidays — Maha Shivaratri (Feb 15), Id-ul-Fitr (Mar 21), Independence Day (Aug 15), and Diwali Laxmi Pujan (Nov 8) — fall on Saturdays or Sundays. These do not result in extra weekday closures since markets are already closed on weekends.

Diwali Muhurat Trading 2026 — Special Session to Note

One of the most awaited trading events of the year is Muhurat Trading, the symbolic one-hour session held on Diwali evening. This tradition began at BSE in 1957 and was adopted by NSE in 1992.
In 2026, Diwali Laxmi Pujan falls on Sunday, 8 November. Since it is a weekend, the regular market does not take a separate weekday off. However, NSE and BSE will conduct Muhurat Trading on Sunday, 8 November 2026. The exact one-hour trading window will be notified by the exchanges closer to the date.
Many investors use Muhurat Trading to make a symbolic first purchase — gold ETFs, blue-chip stocks, or even mutual fund units — for good luck and prosperity in the new year.

Long Weekends to Mark on Your Trading Calendar

One of the best planning opportunities in the 2026 calendar is the 7 long weekends created by holidays falling on Fridays or Mondays. These are perfect windows for portfolio review, learning, or simply recharging.
26 January (Mon) — Republic Day → 3-day weekend
26 March (Thu) + 31 March (Tue) — Back-to-back near-weekends for financial year-end
3 April (Fri) — Good Friday → 3-day weekend
1 May (Fri) — Maharashtra Day → 3-day weekend
26 June (Fri) — Muharram → 3-day weekend
14 September (Mon) — Ganesh Chaturthi → 3-day weekend
2 October (Fri) — Gandhi Jayanti → 3-day weekend
25 December (Fri) — Christmas → 3-day weekend

Q1. How many stock market holidays are there in 2026?
NSE and BSE have declared 19 holidays for 2026. Out of these, 4 fall on weekends, so there are 15 actual weekday market closures.
Q2. Is the stock market open on Republic Day 2026?
No. Republic Day falls on Monday, 26 January 2026, and is a declared trading holiday. Both NSE and BSE will remain closed.
Q3. When is Muhurat Trading in 2026?
Muhurat Trading will be held on Sunday, 8 November 2026, on the occasion of Diwali Laxmi Pujan. The exact one-hour window will be announced by NSE and BSE separately.
Q4. Does Independence Day 2026 affect stock market trading?
Independence Day falls on Saturday, 15 August 2026, which is already a non-trading weekend. So there is no additional weekday closure for Independence Day in 2026.
Q5. What happens to SIP if the date falls on a market holiday?
Most mutual fund companies process SIP transactions on the next available working day if your SIP date falls on a declared market holiday or weekend.
Q6. Are NSE and BSE holiday calendars the same?
Yes, in nearly all cases NSE and BSE follow the same holiday calendar. Both exchanges release official circulars confirming the list annually.
Q7. Can I place orders on stock market holidays?
No. Trading orders cannot be placed or executed on market holidays. However, you can use these days to plan, research, and prepare your strategy for when the market reopens.

Disclaimer:

This blog does not provide financial, investment, or trading advice. All content is for educational and informational purposes only. Please consult a certified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. The author will not be responsible for any financial losses incurred