CET to IST Converter
Convert time between Central European Time (CET) and India Standard Time (IST)
Central European Time (CET)
India Standard Time (IST)
Time Difference
India Standard Time (IST) is 0 hours ahead of Central European Time (CET)
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Select Time
Quick Reference
| CET | IST |
|---|---|
| 03:00 | 07:30 |
| 05:00 | 09:30 |
| 07:00 | 11:30 |
| 09:00 | 13:30 |
| 11:00 | 15:30 |
| 13:00 | 17:30 |
| 15:00 | 19:30 |
| 17:00 | 21:30 |
| 19:00 | 23:30 |
| 21:00 | 01:30 |
| 23:00 | 03:30 |
| 01:00 | 05:30 |
Top 10 Most Common Time Zones
| Abbreviation | Full Name | UTC Offset | Typical Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| UTC | Coordinated Universal Time | UTC ±0 | Global reference standard (servers, logs, APIs) |
| EST / EDT | Eastern (US) Time | UTC −5 / −4 | New York, Toronto — North American business hub |
| CST / CDT | Central (US) Time | UTC −6 / −5 | Chicago, Dallas — US central business region |
| PST / PDT | Pacific (US) Time | UTC −8 / −7 | San Francisco, Los Angeles — tech industry standard |
| GMT / BST | Greenwich Mean / British Summer Time | UTC 0 / +1 | UK, used globally as a reference with UTC |
| CET / CEST | Central European (Summer) Time | UTC +1 / +2 | Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam — EU business core |
| IST | India Standard Time | UTC +5:30 | India — major IT & outsourcing region |
| CST | China Standard Time | UTC +8 | Beijing, Shanghai — East Asia business hub |
| JST | Japan Standard Time | UTC +9 | Tokyo — finance & tech hub |
| AEST / AEDT | Australian Eastern (Daylight) Time | UTC +10 / +11 | Sydney, Melbourne — APAC regional business |
Why Time Zone Abbreviations Are Ambiguous
Unlike standardized identifiers (like America/New_York or Europe/London from the IANA tz database), abbreviations such as "CST" or "IST" are not globally unique. They can refer to different time zones depending on context — country, region, or even time of year (due to daylight saving time).
Common Ambiguous Time Zone Abbreviations
| Abbrev. | Common Meaning(s) | UTC Offset | Region(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| CST | Central Standard Time / China Standard Time / Cuba Standard Time | UTC−6 / UTC+8 / UTC−5 | North America, China, Cuba |
| IST | Indian Standard Time / Irish Standard Time / Israel Standard Time | UTC+5:30 / UTC+1 / UTC+2 | India, Ireland, Israel |
| AST | Atlantic Standard Time / Arabia Standard Time | UTC−4 / UTC+3 | Caribbean, Canada, Middle East |
| PST | Pacific Standard Time / Philippine Standard Time | UTC−8 / UTC+8 | North America, Philippines |
| EST | Eastern Standard Time (North America / Australia) | UTC−5 / UTC+10 | North America, Australia |
✅ Best Practice
To avoid ambiguity, always:
- Use IANA tz identifiers — e.g.,
America/New_Yorkinstead of "EST" - Specify UTC offset explicitly — e.g.,
UTC−5when abbreviations must be used - Include the full timezone name — e.g., "Eastern Standard Time (EST)" with UTC offset
Related Time Zone Conversions
About CET to IST Time Conversion
Converting time between Central European Time (CET) and India Standard Time (IST) is essential for coordinating business activities between Europe and India. CET is UTC+1, while IST is UTC+5:30, making IST 4.5 hours ahead of CET.
This time zone converter uses the IANA timezone database to ensure accurate calculations. India does not observe daylight saving time, so IST remains constant year-round while CET changes seasonally. Whether you're scheduling business meetings, managing IT outsourcing relationships, or planning travel, our converter ensures precise timezone calculations for Europe-India coordination.
Common Use Cases for CET to IST Conversion
Business & Work
- Scheduling meetings between European and Indian offices
- Coordinating IT outsourcing and software development teams
- Managing business process outsourcing (BPO) operations
- Planning transatlantic tech and business consultations
Personal & Travel
- Planning travel from Europe to India
- Coordinating with family and friends in India
- Scheduling virtual events with Europe-India audiences
Time Zone Information
Central European Time (CET)
- UTC Offset: UTC+1 (UTC+2 during CEST)
- IANA Timezone: Europe/Paris
- Daylight Saving: Last Sunday in March to Last Sunday in October
- Major Cities: Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam, Brussels, Vienna, Madrid, Rome
- Coverage: Central and Western Europe, including most EU countries
India Standard Time (IST)
- UTC Offset: UTC+5:30 (no daylight saving)
- IANA Timezone: Asia/Kolkata
- Daylight Saving: None (constant year-round)
- Major Cities: Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad
- Coverage: All of India
Quick Reference: CET to IST
Remember: IST is 4.5 hours ahead of CET (3.5 hours during CEST daylight saving)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the time difference between CET and IST?
Central European Time (CET) is UTC+1, while India Standard Time (IST) is UTC+5:30. IST is 4.5 hours ahead of CET. This means when it's 12:00 PM (noon) in CET, it's 4:30 PM in IST. During daylight saving time (CEST, UTC+2), the difference reduces to 3.5 hours.
Does India observe daylight saving time?
No, India does not observe daylight saving time. India Standard Time (IST) remains at UTC+5:30 year-round. However, Central Europe observes daylight saving time, transitioning from CET (UTC+1) to CEST (UTC+2) in late March and back to CET in late October. This means the time difference varies between 4.5 hours (during CET) and 3.5 hours (during CEST).
When is daylight saving time in Europe?
Central Europe observes daylight saving time from the last Sunday in March (when clocks move forward) to the last Sunday in October (when clocks move back). During this period, CET becomes CEST (UTC+2). This means from late March to late October, India is only 3.5 hours ahead instead of 4.5 hours. Always check the current season when scheduling Europe-India meetings.
What are the major cities in CET and IST timezones?
CET covers major European cities including Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam, Brussels, Vienna, Madrid, and Rome. IST covers all major Indian cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata, and Hyderabad. These are important business hubs for IT outsourcing, BPO operations, and international commerce between Europe and India.
How do I convert CET to IST manually?
To convert from CET to IST, add 4.5 hours to the CET time. For example, if it's 10:00 AM CET, it would be 2:30 PM IST. Remember that during daylight saving time (late March to late October), CET becomes CEST (UTC+2), so you would only add 3.5 hours. Always verify which season you're in to ensure accurate conversion.
What should I know about scheduling across CET and IST?
The overlap between European and Indian business hours is relatively good. Morning in Europe (8-10 AM CET) corresponds to afternoon in India (12:30-2:30 PM IST), and afternoon in Europe (2-4 PM CET) corresponds to evening in India (6:30-8:30 PM IST). This makes it easier to find mutually convenient meeting times compared to Europe-US coordination.
Pro Tips
- • IST is 4.5 hours ahead of CET during winter months (late October to late March). During daylight saving time (late March to late October), the difference reduces to 3.5 hours.
- • India does not observe daylight saving time - IST is constant year-round at UTC+5:30. Only Europe changes its offset when transitioning between CET and CEST.
- • Morning European hours (8-10 AM CET) align well with afternoon Indian hours (12:30-2:30 PM IST), making this a good window for Europe-India meetings.
- • Afternoon European hours (2-4 PM CET) correspond to early evening in India (6:30-8:30 PM IST), which also works well for most business operations.
- • Mark daylight saving transition dates in your calendar: Europe transitions on the last Sunday of March (forward) and last Sunday of October (back). After these dates, the time difference changes by 1 hour.
- • For scheduling, remember that 12:00 PM CET equals 4:30 PM IST - use this as your mental benchmark for quick conversions during the year.