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