EconomyTrade
Diwali trade crosses ₹6 lakh crore, Delhi alone ₹1 lakh crore, says traders' body
The Confederation of All India Traders expects festive sales to top ₹7 lakh crore nationwide, with buying peaking on Dhanteras. The figures are the body's own estimates.
Key points
- Diwali trade has crossed ₹6 lakh crore nationwide, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) said on Saturday.
- Delhi's festive business has passed a record ₹1 lakh crore, and the national total is expected to top ₹7 lakh crore.
- Gold and jewellery, electronics, clothing and autos led demand; buying peaked on Dhanteras, November 6.
Festive trade across India has crossed ₹6 lakh crore this Diwali and is on course to top ₹7 lakh crore, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) said in a statement on Saturday, November 7, 2026. Delhi’s markets alone have done more than ₹1 lakh crore of Diwali business, which the body called a record. The numbers are CAIT’s own estimates and have not been independently confirmed.
Buying peaked on Dhanteras, Friday, November 6, when crowds filled markets in the capital and across the country.
What people bought
According to CAIT, demand was strong across the board. Gold, silver and jewellery drew heavy buying, alongside mobile phones, LED televisions, refrigerators, washing machines and air conditioners. Sarees, suits, kurtas, readymade garments and children’s wear sold well, as did earthen diyas, idols of Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha, puja items and sweets. Cars, two-wheelers and commercial vehicles added to the total, and khadi, handloom and handicraft goods did a steady business.
Praveen Khandelwal, CAIT Secretary General and Member of Parliament, said the unprecedented footfall in markets had given fresh momentum to commercial activity. He tied the trend to consumers increasingly preferring Indian products, linking it to the Prime Minister’s appeals for “Vocal for Local” and “Aatmanirbhar Bharat”.
Who gains
CAIT said the money flows to small and medium traders, street vendors, daily-wage workers, micro and cottage industries, self-help groups, women entrepreneurs and artisans, as well as transport operators, packaging firms and delivery services.
A political edge
Khandelwal also said Delhi’s residents had shown they do not want festive celebrations and commercial life “held hostage to political disruptions”. He alleged “substantial business losses” from the Opposition rally on November 1 and from protests in Delhi over the past month. That is the traders’ body’s claim; no independent assessment of the losses was given.
The statement did not compare this year’s trade with last Diwali or give figures for states other than Delhi. CAIT’s final tally for the season is expected once the festive run ends.