India’s List of Public Holidays in 2025: A Guide for Businesses 

The 2025 public holiday calendar in India includes Gazetted and Restricted holidays. Companies should consult the holiday schedule specific to their State or Union Territory, keeping in mind regional festivals, bank holidays, and other observances that may impact regular business operations. Organizations should also plan for designated election days, which are paid holidays for registered voters. 

Importance of holiday planning for businesses 

Planning around India’s holiday schedule is essential for maintaining smooth operations, maximizing employee satisfaction, and ensuring effective resource management. Different industries may approach holiday planning uniquely, adapting to varying operational needs. 

Public holiday classification

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India’s official public holiday calendar is categorized into three types: Gazetted, Restricted, and holidays specific to individual states and union territories. Managing the country’s diverse holiday schedule can be challenging, especially for foreign HR managers, as central and state governments account for the cultural and regional diversity of over 1.42 billion people across 28 states and 8 union territories. 

In India, many companies close their offices on Gazetted holidays and offer employees a selection of optional holidays, allowing them to choose non-Gazetted holidays to observe. Some businesses, however, align their holiday schedules with those set by the management of their office building. 

Managing holiday schedules for companies in India 

Managing holiday schedules in India remains flexible, with most companies offering between 10 and 14 public holidays based on historical practices, industry standards, and state-specific regulations. Companies interacting with state or government bodies must follow the respective official holiday calendars. For instance, government offices in the National Capital Territory of Delhi are expected to observe 17 gazetted holidays in 2025, along with 24 restricted (optional) holidays. 

Holiday entitlements in India are largely regulated by several key laws: 

• The Weekly Holidays Act, 1942; 
• The Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act, 1946; 
• The National and Festival Holidays Act, 1963; 
• The Negotiable Instruments Act, 1981; 
• The Companies Act, 2013; and 
• The Shops and Commercial Establishments Act. 

Of these, the National & Festival Holidays Act is applicable to all establishments nationwide, mandating closures on three national holidays: 

1. Republic Day, January 26; 
2. Independence Day, August 15; and 
3. Gandhi Jayanti, October 2. 

All organizations in India—whether public, private, or multinational—are required to observe these holidays. Those needing to operate on these dates must obtain prior approval from the relevant authorities. 

Public holidays in India 2025

The following list of 2025 holidays in India is based on the circular issued by the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances, and Pensions. 

Source: DoPT Circular, National Portal of India 

Source: DOPT, The Indian Express

State and union territory holidays in India 

The list of state and union territory holidays is quite large. Please click here – https://www.india.gov.in/state-and-ut-holiday-calendar – to review local holidays that apply to your place of business. 

Concept of ‘dry days’ 

In addition to office closures, governments in the state and union territories often observe “dry days” or days when the sale of alcohol is not permitted on Gazetted, state, and union territory holidays. Dry days also routinely occur on local election dates.  

During the course of the year, local governments may declare additional or fewer dry days at its discretion. 

(For India’s Public Holidays in 2024, click here.)  

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