IST to CST converter

IST to CST quick reference

CST or CDT? 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.

CST (UTC−6) is the winter name and CDT (UTC−5) the summer name. “CST” usually means local Central time (Chicago, Dallas, Houston) whatever the season, so MeetETA reads it that way and handles daylight saving for the date you pick.

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

How the gap changes during the year

Chicago is 11.5 hours behind India while Chicago is on CST, and 10.5 hours behind India while Chicago is on CDT.

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 Chicago is on CST there is no shared 9–5 time; the easiest window is 6:30 PM–10 PM IST (7 AM–10:30 AM CST). While Chicago is on CDT there is no shared 9–5 time; the easiest window is 5:30 PM–10 PM IST (7 AM–11:30 AM CDT).

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

Example conversions

Questions people ask

What is the time difference between IST and CST?

Chicago is 11 h 30 m behind India while Chicago is on CST, and 10 h 30 m behind India while Chicago is on CDT. Right now it is 10 h 30 m.

Does the IST to CST difference change with daylight saving?

Yes. US Central Time changes its clocks and India Standard Time does not, so the gap moves by an hour twice a year (next on Sun 1 Nov 2026).

How do I convert 3 PM IST to CST?

While Chicago is on CST, 3 PM IST is 3:30 AM CST. While Chicago is on CDT, 3 PM IST is 4:30 AM CDT. Or just type “3 PM IST” in the converter at the top of this page.

When can India and US Central time meet during work hours?

While Chicago is on CST there is no shared 9–5 time; the most comfortable window is 6:30 PM–10 PM IST (7 AM–10:30 AM CST). While Chicago is on CDT there is no shared 9–5 time; the most comfortable window is 5:30 PM–10 PM IST (7 AM–11:30 AM CDT).

What time is 9 PM CST in IST?

While Chicago is on CST, 9 PM CST is 8:30 AM IST the next day. While Chicago is on CDT, 9 PM CDT is 7:30 AM IST the next day. For other times, type something like “9 PM CST” in the converter.

Should I write CST or CDT?

CST (UTC−6) is the winter name and CDT (UTC−5) the summer name. “CST” usually means local Central time (Chicago, Dallas, Houston) whatever the season, so MeetETA reads it that way and handles daylight saving for the date you pick.

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.