Around Diwali, many banks make paid/renewal-fee cards free for a year or more as a promo, so you can grab good cards without paying the fee first.
HDFC Swiggy Credit Card: sometimes banks waive its fees during promos. HDFC Millennia Credit Card: popular card, often included in festive offers. HDFC Tata Neu Plus / Infinity Cards: they’ve had lifetime free promotions around festivals.
Cards by big banks like SBI, ICICI, Axis, etc. They often run special deals during Diwali so that normally paid cards become “fee-waived” for first year or for life, for new customers. Keep an eye on their promo pages / apps.
To make sure you really get value, see if the “lifetime-free” or “fee waived” is just for the first year, or truly permanent. Sometimes it’s only for first 1-2 years.
