Most business disruption in India is scheduled. The India Event Calendar 2026, MitKat Advisory’s annual planning reference, sets out 46 dates that will affect movement, staffing and security posture through the year, with the risk each carries and the states it hits.
What is the India Event Calendar 2026?
A single-page planning calendar. Each entry gives the date, event type, a short overview, the risks expected and the areas likely to be impacted, against a five-level risk rating.
Which dates carry the highest security risk?
Six entries are commemorative security dates rather than holidays — the calendar’s most distinctive feature. They run from the Bhima Koregaon anniversary on 1 January through one year since the Pahalgam terror attack (22 April) and Operation Sindoor (7 May), the Article 370 abrogation anniversary (5 August), one year since the Delhi bomb blast (10 November) and the 26/11 Mumbai attacks anniversary (26 November). Each carries elevated protest, communal-tension or extremism risk.
Which months are busiest?
August and November carry the most entries, followed by May. Long windows matter as much as single dates: the Magh Mela runs 3 January to 15 February, the Amarnath Yatra 1 July to 19 August, and Ganesh Chaturthi 14 to 25 September.
What else falls in 2026?
Two events break the pattern. Assembly elections in West Bengal, Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry are expected in May–June, bringing rallies, prohibitory orders and election-violence risk. The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup runs 7 February to 8 March, co-hosted with Sri Lanka, with the final in Ahmedabad.
What risks do these dates carry?
Traffic congestion is flagged most often, followed by communal tension. Processions, stampede risk at large gatherings and heightened security measures recur. Thirteen entries are pan-India; Maharashtra and Delhi are each named eight times.
How should businesses use it?
Map the dates against your sites, delivery windows and travel plans before each quarter. Treat the six anniversary dates as security review points rather than ordinary holidays, and plan freight and staffing around the election window and long yatra periods.
Frequently asked questions
What is the India Event Calendar 2026?
A one-page annual reference from MitKat Advisory listing 46 events, festivals and religious observances across India in 2026, with the expected risks and impacted areas for each.
When are the 2026 state assembly elections in India?
West Bengal, Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry are expected to vote in May–June 2026, with exact dates awaited. Expect rallies, prohibitory orders and traffic disruption in those states.
Which Indian states see the most event-related disruption?
Maharashtra and Delhi are named most often, each in eight entries, followed by Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Telangana and Jammu & Kashmir.
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What is inside
- The India Event Calendar 2026 maps 46 dated entries — 20 events, 17 religious events and 9 festivals — each with a risk note and impacted areas.
- Six entries are security-incident anniversaries, including one year since the Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor.
- Traffic congestion is the most commonly flagged risk, followed by communal tension.
- August and November are the busiest months. Maharashtra and Delhi are the most frequently named states
Filed under: APACIndia-South AsiaRegional Risk Reviews