Centre Notifies Indian Standard Time Rules, 2026

# Centre Notifies Indian Standard Time Rules, 2026 ### Why in News? The Ministry of Consumer Affairs notified the **Legal Metrology (Indian Standard Time) Rules, 2026**, making **Indian Standard Time (IST)** the common time reference for official, commercial and legal records. ### Key Details - A **180-day transition period** has been provided for government departments and businesses to align their systems. - The rules aim to keep time-stamping synchronised across sectors such as **banking, digital payments, telecom, railways, power grids and computer networks**. - The framework promotes secure Indian timing sources such as **NavIC**, reducing dependence on foreign satellite-based time references for critical infrastructure. - IST is based on **82.5°E longitude**, which passes through **Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh**, and is **UTC/GMT +5:30**. ### Exam Connect - **IST** → based on **82.5°E longitude** → Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh - **NavIC** → India’s regional satellite navigation system developed by **ISRO** - Official time-keeping in India → **CSIR-National Physical Laboratory**