US and India meeting times: a practical guide
Plan US and India calls with seasonal time differences, working hours and examples for both sides.
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Start with the date and the city
India uses IST, UTC+5:30, all year. It does not change its clocks for daylight saving. Most US cities do, so the gap depends on the date. Use a city such as New York or Los Angeles to make the intended zone clear.
Eastern
- US daylight time: EDT (UTC-4). India is 9h 30m ahead.
- US standard time: EST (UTC-5). India is 10h 30m ahead.
Central
- US daylight time: CDT (UTC-5). India is 10h 30m ahead.
- US standard time: CST (UTC-6). India is 11h 30m ahead.
Mountain
- US daylight time: MDT (UTC-6). India is 11h 30m ahead.
- US standard time: MST (UTC-7). India is 12h 30m ahead.
Pacific
- US daylight time: PDT (UTC-7). India is 12h 30m ahead.
- US standard time: PST (UTC-8). India is 13h 30m ahead.
Most of Arizona
- US daylight time: MST (UTC-7). India is 12h 30m ahead.
- US standard time: MST (UTC-7). India is 12h 30m ahead.
Most of Arizona stays on MST all year, so its gap to India stays at 12h 30m. Use Phoenix when planning for that part of Arizona.
The next US clock changes
- On Sun 1 Nov 2026, 2:00 AM local becomes 1:00 AM in New York. The gap to India grows by 1h.
- On Sun 14 Mar 2027, 2:00 AM local becomes 3:00 AM in New York. The gap to India shrinks by 1h.
These changes apply to the Eastern, Central, Mountain and Pacific cities used here. Recheck a recurring call around each change so neither side gets a surprise.
When 9:00 AM in the US is ...
| US zone | US daylight time | US standard time |
|---|---|---|
| ET | 6:30 PM IST same day | 7:30 PM IST same day |
| CT | 7:30 PM IST same day | 8:30 PM IST same day |
| MT | 8:30 PM IST same day | 9:30 PM IST same day |
| PT | 9:30 PM IST same day | 10:30 PM IST same day |
When 9:00 AM in India is ...
| US zone | US daylight time | US standard time |
|---|---|---|
| ET | 11:30 PM EDT previous day | 10:30 PM EST previous day |
| CT | 10:30 PM CDT previous day | 9:30 PM CST previous day |
| MT | 9:30 PM MDT previous day | 8:30 PM MST previous day |
| PT | 8:30 PM PDT previous day | 7:30 PM PST previous day |
Choose whose day can stretch
There is no overlap with 9 AM to 5 PM working hours in India and any mainland US zone. For a live call, one side stretches its day. Common choices are US early morning with India evening, or US evening with India morning. Ask people what works rather than assuming that an evening is free.
For example, 8:00 AM Eastern is 5:30 PM IST in daylight time and 6:30 PM IST in standard time. For a regular call, consider rotating the inconvenience.
Find a meeting time shows each city’s working hours and suggests times inside everyone’s hours. Set per-person hours for each city, including split shifts, to reflect the hours people actually want to offer.
The converter understands typed phrases such as “9am EST to IST”. Check the date, share a time link so each viewer sees their own zone, and use Add to calendar for Google Calendar or an .ics file.
Common questions
Does India change its clocks?
India uses IST (UTC+5:30) all year and does not observe daylight saving time.
How far ahead is India of Eastern time?
India is 9h 30m ahead during US daylight time and 10h 30m ahead during US standard time.
Can both sides meet during ordinary working hours?
There is no overlap with 9 AM to 5 PM working hours in India and any mainland US zone. For a live call, one side stretches its day.
How should I share a recurring meeting?
Include the city or time zone and the date, then check the next clock change. A fixed US local time moves in India when the US changes its clocks.