GST to IST Converter

Convert time between Gulf Standard Time (GST) and India Standard Time (IST)

Gulf Standard Time (GST)

18:28:27
UTC +0
Apr 29, 2026
Asia/Dubai

India Standard Time (IST)

18:28:27
UTC +0
Apr 29, 2026
Asia/Kolkata

Time Difference

India Standard Time (IST) is 0 hours ahead of Gulf Standard Time (GST)

Select Date

Select Time

Quick Reference

GSTIST
06:0007:30
08:0009:30
10:0011:30
12:0013:30
14:0015:30
16:0017:30
18:0019:30
20:0021:30
22:0023:30
00:0001:30
02:0003:30
04:0005:30

Top 10 Most Common Time Zones

AbbreviationFull NameUTC OffsetTypical Use
UTCCoordinated Universal TimeUTC ±0Global reference standard (servers, logs, APIs)
EST / EDTEastern (US) TimeUTC −5 / −4New York, Toronto — North American business hub
CST / CDTCentral (US) TimeUTC −6 / −5Chicago, Dallas — US central business region
PST / PDTPacific (US) TimeUTC −8 / −7San Francisco, Los Angeles — tech industry standard
GMT / BSTGreenwich Mean / British Summer TimeUTC 0 / +1UK, used globally as a reference with UTC
CET / CESTCentral European (Summer) TimeUTC +1 / +2Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam — EU business core
ISTIndia Standard TimeUTC +5:30India — major IT & outsourcing region
CSTChina Standard TimeUTC +8Beijing, Shanghai — East Asia business hub
JSTJapan Standard TimeUTC +9Tokyo — finance & tech hub
AEST / AEDTAustralian Eastern (Daylight) TimeUTC +10 / +11Sydney, 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 OffsetRegion(s)
CSTCentral Standard Time / China Standard Time / Cuba Standard TimeUTC−6 / UTC+8 / UTC−5North America, China, Cuba
ISTIndian Standard Time / Irish Standard Time / Israel Standard TimeUTC+5:30 / UTC+1 / UTC+2India, Ireland, Israel
ASTAtlantic Standard Time / Arabia Standard TimeUTC−4 / UTC+3Caribbean, Canada, Middle East
PSTPacific Standard Time / Philippine Standard TimeUTC−8 / UTC+8North America, Philippines
ESTEastern Standard Time (North America / Australia)UTC−5 / UTC+10North America, Australia

✅ Best Practice

To avoid ambiguity, always:

  • Use IANA tz identifiers — e.g., America/New_York instead of "EST"
  • Specify UTC offset explicitly — e.g., UTC−5 when abbreviations must be used
  • Include the full timezone name — e.g., "Eastern Standard Time (EST)" with UTC offset

About GST to IST Time Conversion

Converting time between Gulf Standard Time (GST) and India Standard Time (IST) involves a fixed 1.5-hour difference. GST is UTC+4 with no daylight saving time, while IST is UTC+5:30 — also with no daylight saving time. This makes IST always 1 hour and 30 minutes ahead of GST, year-round. The half-hour offset is one of India's most distinctive timezone features and reflects the country's decision to maintain a single national time across its vast territory.

This time zone converter uses the IANA timezone database to handle IST's half-hour offset accurately. The Gulf region and India share extensive economic, demographic, and travel ties — millions of Indian expatriates live in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and other Gulf countries. Whether you're scheduling business calls between Dubai and Mumbai, coordinating logistics between Gulf ports and Indian companies, or staying in touch with family across these two regions, our converter delivers consistent results.

Common Use Cases for GST to IST Conversion

Business & Work

  • Scheduling meetings between Dubai or Abu Dhabi and Mumbai, Delhi, or Bangalore offices
  • Coordinating IT services, BPO, and outsourcing operations between Gulf clients and Indian providers
  • Planning trade and logistics between Gulf ports and major Indian shipping hubs

Personal & Travel

  • Staying connected with family and friends between the Gulf region and India
  • Planning travel between UAE and India with accurate flight and arrival timing
  • Scheduling online events, virtual meetups, and live streams across the GST-IST gap

Time Zone Information

Gulf Standard Time (GST)

  • UTC Offset: UTC+4 (no DST observed)
  • IANA Timezone: Asia/Dubai
  • Daylight Saving: Gulf Standard Time does not observe daylight saving time
  • Major Cities: Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Muscat, Ras Al Khaimah
  • Coverage: United Arab Emirates, Oman, and the broader Gulf region

India Standard Time (IST)

  • UTC Offset: UTC+5:30 (no DST observed)
  • IANA Timezone: Asia/Kolkata
  • Daylight Saving: India Standard Time does not observe daylight saving time
  • Major Cities: Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad
  • Coverage: All of India, Sri Lanka shares the same offset

Quick Reference: GST to IST

12:00 PM GST
1:30 PM IST
3:00 PM GST
4:30 PM IST
6:00 PM GST
7:30 PM IST
9:00 PM GST
10:30 PM IST

Remember: IST is 1 hour and 30 minutes ahead of GST. Neither timezone observes daylight saving time, so this offset never changes throughout the year.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the time difference between GST and IST?

Gulf Standard Time (GST) is UTC+4, while India Standard Time (IST) is UTC+5:30. IST is exactly 1 hour and 30 minutes ahead of GST. When it's 12:00 PM (noon) in Dubai (GST), it's 1:30 PM in Mumbai or Delhi (IST). Because neither timezone observes daylight saving time, this 1.5-hour difference is fixed and consistent year-round.

Why does IST have a 30-minute offset?

India Standard Time uses UTC+5:30 — a half-hour offset chosen to provide a single national time across India's wide longitudinal span (roughly 30 degrees). India sits between two neighboring whole-hour offsets (UTC+5 in Pakistan and UTC+6 in Bangladesh), and the 30-minute compromise reflects India's geographic centerline. Sri Lanka also uses UTC+5:30.

Does IST stand for India or Israel?

On this page, IST refers to India Standard Time (UTC+5:30, IANA Asia/Kolkata). Israel Standard Time (also abbreviated IST) is UTC+2 — a completely different timezone. The abbreviation IST is ambiguous in international contexts, so we always specify India Standard Time on this site to avoid confusion. For Israel time, see Israel Standard Time (UTC+2) or Israel Daylight Time (IDT, UTC+3).

What are the best times for Gulf-India business calls?

With IST just 1.5 hours ahead, business hours align almost completely. The Indian workday (9 AM–6 PM IST) overlaps with Dubai's workday (7:30 AM–4:30 PM GST) — practically the entire Gulf workday is open for India calls. The richest overlap window is 9 AM–4 PM GST (10:30 AM–5:30 PM IST), giving 7 productive shared hours.

Which countries and regions share the IST offset?

India Standard Time (UTC+5:30) is used across all of India, including Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata, and Hyderabad. Sri Lanka (Sri Lanka Standard Time) also uses UTC+5:30. IST has no daylight saving time and applies uniformly across the entire country — even though India spans roughly 2,933 km east to west.

Which countries use GST (Gulf Standard Time)?

Gulf Standard Time (UTC+4) is used year-round by the United Arab Emirates (Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah) and Oman (Muscat). It is also shared by some Russian regions and parts of the Indian Ocean. In the Gulf context, GST specifically refers to the UAE and Oman time zone, which observes no daylight saving time.

Pro Tips

  • • IST is 1 hour and 30 minutes ahead of GST — add 1.5 hours to any Dubai time to get Mumbai time. No seasonal adjustments, ever.
  • • Neither GST nor IST observes daylight saving time. Recurring meetings stay correct year-round.
  • • Best overlap window: 9 AM–4 PM GST (10:30 AM–5:30 PM IST) — almost the full workday in both timezones.
  • • The Bombay Stock Exchange opens at 9:15 AM IST = 7:45 AM GST — early-morning Gulf time but workable.
  • • IST applies uniformly across India — the same time covers Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, and Kolkata.
  • • Sri Lanka shares the same UTC+5:30 offset — Colombo time matches Indian time exactly.