CET to IST Time Converter
IST is 3 hours and 30 minutes ahead of CET. Continental western Europe is currently on CEST (UTC+2:00), and IST is UTC+5:30.
Best Time to Call Between CET and IST
Both zones are inside normal business hours between 9:00 AM and 2:00 PM CET — that's 12:30 PM to 5:30 PM IST. That's a 5-hour window.
both at work CET only IST only neither — hours along the strip are CET.
Common Times Converted
CET on the left, IST on the right.
CET to IST: Full 24-Hour Conversion Table
Shaded rows are working hours; the darker shade marks the hours when both zones are at work.
| CET | IST | Working hours |
|---|---|---|
| 12:00 AM | 3:30 AM | — |
| 1:00 AM | 4:30 AM | — |
| 2:00 AM | 5:30 AM | — |
| 3:00 AM | 6:30 AM | — |
| 4:00 AM | 7:30 AM | — |
| 5:00 AM | 8:30 AM | — |
| 6:00 AM | 9:30 AM | IST only |
| 7:00 AM | 10:30 AM | IST only |
| 8:00 AM | 11:30 AM | IST only |
| 9:00 AM | 12:30 PM | Both zones |
| 10:00 AM | 1:30 PM | Both zones |
| 11:00 AM | 2:30 PM | Both zones |
| 12:00 PM | 3:30 PM | Both zones |
| 1:00 PM | 4:30 PM | Both zones |
| 2:00 PM | 5:30 PM | CET only |
| 3:00 PM | 6:30 PM | CET only |
| 4:00 PM | 7:30 PM | CET only |
| 5:00 PM | 8:30 PM | — |
| 6:00 PM | 9:30 PM | — |
| 7:00 PM | 10:30 PM | — |
| 8:00 PM | 11:30 PM | — |
| 9:00 PM | 12:30 AM next day | — |
| 10:00 PM | 1:30 AM next day | — |
| 11:00 PM | 2:30 AM next day | — |
What CET and IST Actually Are
CET — Central European Time
Paris, Berlin, Madrid, Rome, Amsterdam, Vienna, Warsaw, Stockholm. Standing at UTC+1:00 as written, and the region does change its clocks, so its live offset moves by an hour twice a year. The next change is on Sunday, October 25, 2026, to CET. Most of continental Europe moves to CEST (UTC+2) for the summer.
Central European Time spans a remarkable stretch of longitude — from Spain's Atlantic coast to Poland's eastern border — so solar noon in Madrid arrives nearly two hours later than in Warsaw.
IST — India Standard Time
Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad — and Colombo. Standing at UTC+5:30 as written, and the region does not change its clocks, so that offset holds all year. IST also stands for Irish Standard Time (UTC+1) and Israel Standard Time (UTC+2). This page covers the Indian one, which is by far the most searched.
India runs a single time zone across a country wide enough for two, which is why sunrise in the north-east can come nearly two hours before Mumbai's. Proposals for a second zone resurface regularly and have never been adopted.
What This Means in Practice
Expect times on the half hour
IST sits on a 30-minute offset rather than a whole hour, so a round number on one side is never a round number on the other. A 9:00 meeting becomes 30 minutes past the hour, which is exactly the detail calendar invitations get wrong when someone converts in their head.
This gap is not fixed
CET changes its clocks and IST does not, so the difference between them moves by an hour twice a year. A recurring meeting set now will drift for one side from Sunday, October 25, 2026 unless someone resets it.
Major Cities in Each Zone
Cities on CET
Cities on IST
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the time difference between CET and IST?
IST is 3 hours and 30 minutes ahead of CET. That is the live figure. Taken strictly as written, the gap between CET and IST is 4 hours and 30 minutes — the two differ because at least one of these regions is currently on daylight saving.
What is 9:00 AM CET in IST?
9:00 AM CET is 12:30 PM IST.
What are the best hours to schedule a call between CET and IST?
Between 9:00 AM and 2:00 PM CET, which is 12:30 PM to 5:30 PM IST. Both sides are inside normal business hours through that window.
Does the difference between CET and IST change during the year?
Yes. CET observes daylight saving and IST does not, so the gap shifts by an hour at least twice a year. The next clock change is on Sunday, October 25, 2026.
Does CET always mean Central European Time?
Most of continental Europe moves to CEST (UTC+2) for the summer.
Does IST always mean India Standard Time?
IST also stands for Irish Standard Time (UTC+1) and Israel Standard Time (UTC+2). This page covers the Indian one, which is by far the most searched.