India Moves to Standardize Time with New IST Mandate

The Indian government is proposing new rules to mandate Indian Standard Time (IST) for all official and commercial uses. The draft rules aim to standardize timekeeping nationwide, covering sectors such as commerce and defense. The public is invited to provide feedback by February 14.

In a significant initiative to standardize timekeeping practices, the Indian government has introduced draft rules requiring the exclusive use of Indian Standard Time (IST) across all official and commercial platforms.

The proposed Legal Metrology (Indian Standard Time) Rules, 2024, seeks to make IST the sole time reference for legal, administrative, and commercial documents nationwide.

Submissions from the public regarding these proposed rules are welcome until February 14, with the aim of ensuring consistent and precise timekeeping critical to the nation's infrastructure.

(With inputs from agencies.)