GMT to IST Time Converter
IST is 4 hours and 30 minutes ahead of GMT. The UK and Ireland are currently on BST (UTC+1:00), and IST is UTC+5:30.
Best Time to Call Between GMT and IST
Both zones are inside normal business hours between 9:00 AM and 1:00 PM GMT — that's 1:30 PM to 5:30 PM IST. That's a 4-hour window.
both at work GMT only IST only neither — hours along the strip are GMT.
Common Times Converted
GMT on the left, IST on the right.
GMT to IST: Full 24-Hour Conversion Table
Shaded rows are working hours; the darker shade marks the hours when both zones are at work.
| GMT | IST | Working hours |
|---|---|---|
| 12:00 AM | 4:30 AM | — |
| 1:00 AM | 5:30 AM | — |
| 2:00 AM | 6:30 AM | — |
| 3:00 AM | 7:30 AM | — |
| 4:00 AM | 8:30 AM | — |
| 5:00 AM | 9:30 AM | IST only |
| 6:00 AM | 10:30 AM | IST only |
| 7:00 AM | 11:30 AM | IST only |
| 8:00 AM | 12:30 PM | IST only |
| 9:00 AM | 1:30 PM | Both zones |
| 10:00 AM | 2:30 PM | Both zones |
| 11:00 AM | 3:30 PM | Both zones |
| 12:00 PM | 4:30 PM | Both zones |
| 1:00 PM | 5:30 PM | GMT only |
| 2:00 PM | 6:30 PM | GMT only |
| 3:00 PM | 7:30 PM | GMT only |
| 4:00 PM | 8:30 PM | GMT only |
| 5:00 PM | 9:30 PM | — |
| 6:00 PM | 10:30 PM | — |
| 7:00 PM | 11:30 PM | — |
| 8:00 PM | 12:30 AM next day | — |
| 9:00 PM | 1:30 AM next day | — |
| 10:00 PM | 2:30 AM next day | — |
| 11:00 PM | 3:30 AM next day | — |
What GMT and IST Actually Are
GMT — Greenwich Mean Time
The UK and Ireland in winter, plus Iceland, Portugal and much of West Africa. Standing at UTC 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 GMT. Often used loosely as a synonym for UTC. They differ by less than a second, so for scheduling they are interchangeable.
Britain ran an experiment from 1968 to 1971 on permanent UTC+1, abandoning GMT entirely. It was scrapped after complaints about dark winter mornings in Scotland.
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
GMT 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 GMT
Cities on IST
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the time difference between GMT and IST?
IST is 4 hours and 30 minutes ahead of GMT. That is the live figure. Taken strictly as written, the gap between GMT and IST is 5 hours and 30 minutes — the two differ because at least one of these regions is currently on daylight saving.
What is 9:00 AM GMT in IST?
9:00 AM GMT is 1:30 PM IST.
What are the best hours to schedule a call between GMT and IST?
Between 9:00 AM and 1:00 PM GMT, which is 1:30 PM to 5:30 PM IST. Both sides are inside normal business hours through that window.
Does the difference between GMT and IST change during the year?
Yes. GMT 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 GMT always mean Greenwich Mean Time?
Often used loosely as a synonym for UTC. They differ by less than a second, so for scheduling they are interchangeable.
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.