IST to CST converter
India Standard Time to Central Time: live time, conversion table and daylight saving dates.
Central Time is 10 hours 30 minutes behind India Standard Time right now. The gap changes during the year: 11 hours 30 minutes behind in January and 10 hours 30 minutes behind in July, because of daylight saving time. 9:00 AM IST = 9:30 PM CST in winter and 10:30 PM CST in summer.
Today, hour by hour
| India Standard Time | Central Time |
|---|
Green rows are inside 9 AM–5 PM in both places.
IST to CST conversion table
| IST | CST (January) | CST (July) |
|---|---|---|
| 12:00 AM | 12:30 PM (−1 day) | 1:30 PM (−1 day) |
| 1:00 AM | 1:30 PM (−1 day) | 2:30 PM (−1 day) |
| 2:00 AM | 2:30 PM (−1 day) | 3:30 PM (−1 day) |
| 3:00 AM | 3:30 PM (−1 day) | 4:30 PM (−1 day) |
| 4:00 AM | 4:30 PM (−1 day) | 5:30 PM (−1 day) |
| 5:00 AM | 5:30 PM (−1 day) | 6:30 PM (−1 day) |
| 6:00 AM | 6:30 PM (−1 day) | 7:30 PM (−1 day) |
| 7:00 AM | 7:30 PM (−1 day) | 8:30 PM (−1 day) |
| 8:00 AM | 8:30 PM (−1 day) | 9:30 PM (−1 day) |
| 9:00 AM | 9:30 PM (−1 day) | 10:30 PM (−1 day) |
| 10:00 AM | 10:30 PM (−1 day) | 11:30 PM (−1 day) |
| 11:00 AM | 11:30 PM (−1 day) | 12:30 AM |
| 12:00 PM | 12:30 AM | 1:30 AM |
| 1:00 PM | 1:30 AM | 2:30 AM |
| 2:00 PM | 2:30 AM | 3:30 AM |
| 3:00 PM | 3:30 AM | 4:30 AM |
| 4:00 PM | 4:30 AM | 5:30 AM |
| 5:00 PM | 5:30 AM | 6:30 AM |
| 6:00 PM | 6:30 AM | 7:30 AM |
| 7:00 PM | 7:30 AM | 8:30 AM |
| 8:00 PM | 8:30 AM | 9:30 AM |
| 9:00 PM | 9:30 AM | 10:30 AM |
| 10:00 PM | 10:30 AM | 11:30 AM |
| 11:00 PM | 11:30 AM | 12:30 PM |
EST or EDT? People search “EST”, “CST” or “PST” all year, but those names only apply in winter. From March to November US clocks are on daylight time (EDT, CDT, MDT, PDT), one hour later. This page uses the real local time in each US zone, so the answers are right whichever season you read it in. More in our EST vs EDT guide.
When the time difference changes
| Dates | Difference |
|---|---|
| Oct 9, 2026 – Oct 31, 2026 | Central Time is 10 hours 30 minutes behind India Standard Time |
| Nov 1, 2026 – Mar 13, 2027 | Central Time is 11 hours 30 minutes behind India Standard Time |
| Mar 14, 2027 – Nov 6, 2027 | Central Time is 10 hours 30 minutes behind India Standard Time |
| Nov 7, 2027 – Dec 31, 2027 | Central Time is 11 hours 30 minutes behind India Standard Time |
India Standard Time does not use daylight saving time. It stays at UTC+5:30 all year. Central Time uses daylight saving time. Next clock changes: Nov 1, 2026 (to UTC-6), Mar 14, 2027 (to UTC-5).
Best time to call or meet
- January: no shared 9-to-5 hours. Workable window (7 AM–10 PM for both): 7:00 AM–10:00 AM in India Standard Time (7:30 PM–10:30 PM in Central Time); 7:00 PM–10:00 PM in India Standard Time (7:30 AM–10:30 AM in Central Time).
- July: no shared 9-to-5 hours. Workable window (7 AM–10 PM for both): 7:00 AM–9:00 AM in India Standard Time (8:30 PM–10:30 PM in Central Time); 6:00 PM–10:00 PM in India Standard Time (7:30 AM–11:30 AM in Central Time).
Planning with more than two places? Use the meeting planner.
Frequently asked questions
What is 9 AM IST in CST?
9:30 PM CST in winter (January) and 10:30 PM CST in summer (July).
What is the time difference between IST and CST?
Central Time is 11 hours 30 minutes behind India Standard Time in January and 10 hours 30 minutes behind in July.
What is 5 PM IST in CST?
5:30 AM CST in winter and 6:30 AM CST in summer.