Diwali operator checklist for India F2P (store, UPI, creative)

Diwali is a spend and session peak for India F2P. Festival dates follow the lunar calendar and can vary by region.

2026 date

Civil and panchang calendars widely list Diwali / Lakshmi Puja on Sunday 8 November 2026 (with Dhanteras and related days adjacent). Confirm against the year’s state holiday notifications via india.gov.in / state gazettes before locking national paid media—India holidays are often state-listed.

Checklist

1. Date confirm — National vs state holiday rows for IN targeting.
2. Creative — Lights/diya motifs reviewed for brand and platform policy; no mis-timed festival art.
3. UPI / payments — PSP and UPI partners’ holiday risk and settlement delays noted (labelled operational risk—not a fee schedule).
4. Store — Play/App Store IN featuring and rating response staffing.
5. UA pacing — Budget caps for peak nights; no invented CPI.
6. Live-ops — Offer end in IST.
7. Teardown — Post-Diwali creative rollback.

Facts versus limits

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Research checked 20 September 2026. Local draft; human review pending. Author null.