IST to CET converter

IST to CET quick reference

CET or CEST? Daylight saving explained

IST is India Standard Time, UTC+5:30, used across all of India. India does not use daylight saving, so IST never changes.

CET (UTC+1) is the winter name and CEST (UTC+2) the summer name, used by Paris, Berlin, Madrid, Rome and most of the EU. “CET” usually means local time there whatever the season, so MeetETA reads it that way.

Right now India is on IST, UTC+5:30 and Paris is on CEST, UTC+2 (the clocks at the top of the page always show the live values).

How the gap changes during the year

Paris is 4.5 hours behind India while Paris is on CET, and 3.5 hours behind India while Paris is on CEST.

Working-day overlap, hour by hour

Each row is an hour in India. Green means that side is inside a 9–5 working day. While Paris is on CET there is 3 h 30 m of shared 9–5 time; the easiest window is 11:30 AM–10 PM IST (7 AM–5:30 PM CET). While Paris is on CEST there is 4 h 30 m of shared 9–5 time; the easiest window is 10:30 AM–10 PM IST (7 AM–6:30 PM CEST).

Shows India 5 AM to 10 PM. Times on the Paris side may fall on the next day.

Example conversions

Questions people ask

What is the time difference between IST and CET?

Paris is 4 h 30 m behind India while Paris is on CET, and 3 h 30 m behind India while Paris is on CEST. Right now it is 3 h 30 m.

Does the IST to CET difference change with daylight saving?

Yes. Central European Time changes its clocks and India Standard Time does not, so the gap moves by an hour twice a year (next on Sun 25 Oct 2026).

How do I convert 3 PM IST to CET?

While Paris is on CET, 3 PM IST is 10:30 AM CET. While Paris is on CEST, 3 PM IST is 11:30 AM CEST. Or just type “3 PM IST” in the converter at the top of this page.

When can India and Central Europe meet during work hours?

While Paris is on CET there is 3 h 30 m of shared 9–5 time; the most comfortable window is 11:30 AM–10 PM IST (7 AM–5:30 PM CET). While Paris is on CEST there is 4 h 30 m of shared 9–5 time; the most comfortable window is 10:30 AM–10 PM IST (7 AM–6:30 PM CEST).

What time is 9 PM CET in IST?

While Paris is on CET, 9 PM CET is 1:30 AM IST the next day. While Paris is on CEST, 9 PM CEST is 12:30 AM IST the next day. For other times, type something like “9 PM CET” in the converter.

Should I write CET or CEST?

CET (UTC+1) is the winter name and CEST (UTC+2) the summer name, used by Paris, Berlin, Madrid, Rome and most of the EU. “CET” usually means local time there whatever the season, so MeetETA reads it that way.

Is MeetETA free?

Yes. MeetETA is free, shows no ads and needs no account. Your cities and settings stay in your browser, and where consent is required, analytics only load after you accept cookies.