Companies dealing with imported goods must plan their orders taking into account holidays in China and India to avoid incidents in manufacturing or transportation that could seriously affect the supply chain. Optimizing the import calendar for 2018 depends on the best possible alignment between the company’s logistical needs and the real possibilities in the country of origin. Active participation from Bull Importer’s managers in planning, with personnel on the ground, will achieve more profitable provisions.
Holidays in China and India largely depend on the lunar calendar and, except for exceptions due to Westernization, do not coincide with typical non-working days in the West. While non-working holidays in China are scarce, it’s worth noting that in the weeks leading up to major festivities, industrial activity and shipping of goods can be seriously affected by peak demands. On the other hand, India is known for the many celebrations scattered throughout its calendar.
When working with Chinese and Indian companies, it is crucial to know the days when their industrial and logistical activities are almost completely halted, especially when important issues such as supply, demand fulfillment, or receipt and shipment of goods depend heavily on them.
Main Holidays in China and India
China Holiday Calendar
- Chinese New Year or Spring Festival. Celebrated according to the lunar calendar, so it doesn’t have a fixed date. In 2018, it will take place between February 15 and 21. Despite a one-week holiday, many factories may close for up to a month due to extensive worker mobility, resulting in staffing and production disruptions.
- Tomb-Sweeping Day or Qingming Festival. Equivalent to All Saints’ Day, it is celebrated on the first day of the fifth solar term, around the first week of April. In 2018, it’s observed from April 5 to 7.
- International Workers’ Day. May 1 is also celebrated in China. In 2018, it falls on a Tuesday, creating a long weekend starting from April 29.
- Dragon Boat Festival or Duanwu. This pagan festival takes place on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese calendar, June 17.
- Mid-Autumn Festival. Celebrated on the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month, typically late September to early October. Coinciding with the full moon, in 2018 it will be observed between September 22 and 24.
- National Day of the People’s Republic of China. October 1 commemorates the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949. It marks the beginning of the country’s second major holiday week. Until October 8, work is suspended.
India Holiday Calendar
- January 1. An official holiday celebrated in India under the influence of Western customs.
- Republic Day. The January 26 celebration is the most solemn event in the country, marking the enactment of the Constitution in 1950.
- Muslim New Year. In 2018, the first day of the first month of the Islamic calendar is on September 21. It’s a national holiday for Muslims.
- Diwali. Known as the “festival of lights,” it will take place between November 5 and 9. This national holiday celebrates the start of the new year in the lunar calendar.
- Holi or Festival of Colors. An official Hindu and Sikh festival taking place on March 2 to celebrate the onset of spring.
- Buddha Purnima. In 2018, the celebration of Buddha’s birth will be on April 30. It’s a national Buddhist holiday.
- Independence Day. Every year, August 15 is one of India’s most important celebrations, marking its independence from Britain in 1947.
- Birth of Mahatma Gandhi. October 2 is one of the most important holidays in the Indian calendar and has significant international repercussions. It commemorates the birth of the leader of India’s independence. The UN declared this day as the International Day of Non-Violence.
With a primarily lunar calendar, it’s challenging to predict holidays in China and India far enough in advance. Having a business partner in Asia who monitors both holidays and compliance with deadlines is more than necessary. Bull Importer, with its international network, provides the necessary support in import or manufacturing operations in China and India.
