Current Time in India
Indian Standard Time (IST) — UTC+5:30
India uses a single timezone — Indian Standard Time (IST), which is UTC+5:30. India does not observe daylight saving time, so the offset stays at UTC+5:30 year-round.
Major cities in India
Compare India time with
What time zone is India in?
India uses Indian Standard Time (IST), which is UTC+5:30 — five and a half hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. The half-hour offset is unusual; most countries use whole-hour offsets. India adopted this single national timezone in 1947 at independence, choosing a compromise between the two natural solar zones that span the country.
Does India observe daylight saving time?
No. India abolished daylight saving time in 1942 and has not used it since. IST stays at UTC+5:30 all year round — there are no clock changes in spring or autumn. This makes scheduling calls with India straightforward: the offset never changes.
Why does India have a 30-minute offset?
Most countries align their timezone to the nearest whole hour from UTC, but India chose UTC+5:30 to reflect the geographic midpoint of the country more accurately. Nepal, its neighbour, goes even further with UTC+5:45 — the only 45-minute offset in the world.
Frequently asked questions
What is the current time in India?
India runs on Indian Standard Time (IST), which is UTC+5:30. The live clock above shows the exact current time.
How many time zones does India have?
India has one time zone — IST (UTC+5:30) — used across the entire country, from Goa on the west coast to Arunachal Pradesh in the far east.
What is the difference between IST and GMT?
IST is 5 hours and 30 minutes ahead of GMT. When it is 12:00 GMT, it is 17:30 IST.
What is the time difference between India and the US?
India (IST, UTC+5:30) is 10.5 hours ahead of US Eastern Standard Time (UTC−5) and 13.5 hours ahead of US Pacific Standard Time (UTC−8). During US daylight saving, the gap reduces by 1 hour.