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Best time to call India

Published 28 November 2024

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India is rich in culture and business. People often call India from different parts of the world for business or personal purposes. India's time zone, IST (Indian Standard Time), is very different from that of other countries. So, it requires some planning if you're calling from another country.

Consider Indian working hours for the best time to Call India without disruptions.

Understanding India Time Zone

India follows only one time zone, Indian Standard Time (IST), which operates at +5:30 UTC. This puts India 5:30 ahead of coordinated universal time. India doesn't observe daylight saving time, so the time remains constant throughout the year.

India operates at a half-hour offset, which makes it difficult to schedule calls for those who follow a full-hour offset. Due to these time differences, coordinating meetings across India, Europe, the US, or Australia often requires careful planning.

Best Time to Call India from Different Countries

The best time to call India is between 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM Indian local time. Here are some guidelines on the ideal time to call India from some popular countries:

Calling From USA

India and the USA are located on opposite sides of the world, which causes time differences of 10 to 15 hours. India is 10 hours and 30 minutes ahead of Eastern Standard Time (EST) and 9 hours and 30 minutes ahead during Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). The best time to reach India from the US is generally during the morning or late evening, which aligns with daytime hours in India.

Time Zone of USA	Time Differences from India	Best time to call from the USA
Central Standard Time	+ 10 hours 30 minutes	9:30 PM – 4:30 AM
Mountain Standard Time	+11 hours 30 minutes	8:30 PM – 3:30 AM
Pacific Standard Time	+12 hours 30 minutes	7:30 PM – 2:30 AM
Eastern Standard Time	+13 hours 30 minutes	6:30 PM – 1:30 AM
Alaska Standard Time	+14 hours 30 minutes	5:30 PM – 12:30 AM
Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time	+15 hours 30 minutes	4:30 PM - 11:30 PM

Calling From UK

The UK’s time zone difference with India fluctuates based on the season. India is 5 hours and 30 minutes ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) during winter and 4 hours and 30 minutes ahead of British Summer Time (BST) in summer. The best time to call from England is generally mid-morning to early afternoon in the UK, aligning with late afternoon or early evening in India.

Time Zone of England	Time Differences from India	Best Time to Call from the UK
Greenwich Mean Time (GMT)	+5 hours 30 Minutes	3:30 AM – 10:30 AM
British Summer Time (BST)	+4 hours 30 Minutes	4:30 AM - 10:30 AM

Calling From Australia

Australia has multiple time zones and observes daylight saving in some areas. Typically, India is 4.5 hours behind Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST) and 5.5 hours behind during Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT). The ideal time to call India is often early morning or late evening in Australia.

Time Zone of Australia	Time Differences from India	Best Time to Call From Australia
Australian Eastern Time Zone (AEST)	-4 hours 30 minutes	1:30 PM – 4:00 PM
Australia Central Time Zone (ACST)	-5 hours	2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Australian Western Time Zone (AWST)	-2 hours 30 minutes	1:30 PM – 4:00 PM

Calling From Canada

Canada’s Eastern and Central regions are commonly 10.5 and 11.5 hours behind IST, respectively, during standard time. The best time to call India from Canada is early morning or late evening.

Time Zone of Canada	Time Differences from India	Best time to call from Canada
Pacific Time Zone	+13 hours 30 minutes	7:30 PM – 2:30 AM
Mountain Time Zone	+12 hours 30 minutes	8:30 PM – 3:30 AM
Central Time Zone	+11 hours 30 minutes	9:30 PM – 4:30 AM
Eastern Time Zone	+10 hours 30 minutes	10:30 PM – 5:30 AM
Atlantic Time Zone	+ 9 hours 30 minutes	11:30 PM – 6:30 AM
Newfoundland Time Zone	+9 hours	12:00 AM – 7:00 AM

Calling from Neighbouring Countries.

Most of India’s neighboring countries share close or similar time zones, so calls can typically be made during regular business hours with ease. Countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal have minor time differences with India, making daytime hours convenient for calling.

Time Zone of USA	Time Differences from India	Best time to call from the USA
Central Standard Time	+15 min	9 AM – 5 PM
Mountain Standard Time	-30 min	9 AM – 5 PM
Pacific Standard Time	+30 min	9 AM – 5 PM

Conclusion

The best time to call India is typically during business hours, from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM IST. Whether you're reaching out from the USA, UK, Australia, or neighboring countries, timing your call to match India's working hours is crucial.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many hours ahead is India compared to the United Kingdom?

Compared to the United Kingdom, India is 5 hours and 30 minutes ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). Likewise, it’s 4 hours and 30 minutes British Summer Time (BST).