India, Jan. 27 -- If banks felt unusually silent today, it wasn't a technical glitch or a routine holiday hangover. Across India, shutters stayed down, counters remained unmanned, and customers were left checking apps instead of passbooks.What looks like a regular bank closure on the surface is actually the result of a simmering standoff between bank employees and authorities, one that has been building for months and finally spilled onto the streets today.

At the heart of the disruption is a nationwide strike by public sector bank unions, turning an already long holiday stretch into a three-day pause for branch-level banking. From cash withdrawals to cheque clearances, everyday services have taken a hit, forcing millions to rely on digi...