TIME ZONE CONVERTER
CST to IST converter
Right now India is 11½ hours ahead of Central Time: Chicago is on CST (UTC−6) and India is on IST (UTC+5:30). 9:00 AM Central Time is 8:30 PM in India.
CST and IST are both in effect today, so the strict and real-world answers match until March 14.
Times checked against the IANA time zone database. How WherOra calculates times
CST also stands for China Standard Time (UTC+8), used in Beijing and across China, and for Cuba Standard Time. This page is about US Central Time. IST can also mean Irish Standard Time (UTC+1, Ireland’s summer time) or Israel Standard Time (UTC+2). This page is about India Standard Time.
Scheduling from Central Time today: 8:00 AM → 7:30 PM, 12:00 PM → 11:30 PM, 5:00 PM → 4:30 AM (next day), 8:00 PM → 7:30 AM (next day) in India.
Convert CST to IST
Pick a time and date in Central Time. Daylight saving is applied for the date you choose.
CST to IST, hour by hour
Each hour in Central Time and the matching time in India. The two 8 AM–5 PM working days don’t overlap.
| Central Time | India (until March 14) | India (from March 14) |
|---|---|---|
| 12:00 AM | 11:30 AM | 10:30 AM |
| 1:00 AM | 12:30 PM | 11:30 AM |
| 2:00 AM | 1:30 PM | 12:30 PM |
| 3:00 AM | 2:30 PM | 1:30 PM |
| 4:00 AM | 3:30 PM | 2:30 PM |
| 5:00 AM | 4:30 PM | 3:30 PM |
| 6:00 AM | 5:30 PM | 4:30 PM |
| 7:00 AM | 6:30 PM | 5:30 PM |
| 8:00 AM | 7:30 PM | 6:30 PM |
| 9:00 AM | 8:30 PM | 7:30 PM |
| 10:00 AM | 9:30 PM | 8:30 PM |
| 11:00 AM | 10:30 PM | 9:30 PM |
| 12:00 PM | 11:30 PM | 10:30 PM |
| 1:00 PM | 12:30 AM next day | 11:30 PM |
| 2:00 PM | 1:30 AM next day | 12:30 AM next day |
| 3:00 PM | 2:30 AM next day | 1:30 AM next day |
| 4:00 PM | 3:30 AM next day | 2:30 AM next day |
| 5:00 PM | 4:30 AM next day | 3:30 AM next day |
| 6:00 PM | 5:30 AM next day | 4:30 AM next day |
| 7:00 PM | 6:30 AM next day | 5:30 AM next day |
| 8:00 PM | 7:30 AM next day | 6:30 AM next day |
| 9:00 PM | 8:30 AM next day | 7:30 AM next day |
| 10:00 PM | 9:30 AM next day | 8:30 AM next day |
| 11:00 PM | 10:30 AM next day | 9:30 AM next day |
Times use the real clocks in Central Time and India, including daylight saving.
Where CST and IST are used
CST (Central Standard Time, Central Daylight Time in summer): Chicago, Houston, Dallas, Austin. IST (India Standard Time): Mumbai, New Delhi, Bengaluru, Kolkata.
Central Time covers much of the middle of the US, including Illinois, Texas, Minnesota and Louisiana. Saskatchewan and Mexico City stay on UTC−6 all year, with no daylight saving, and since November 2026 Manitoba stays on UTC−5 all year.
All of India uses one time zone, IST (UTC+5:30), with no daylight saving. Sri Lanka uses the same offset.
Related
Confused by an abbreviation in an invite? Read time zone abbreviations explained or the best meeting times between the US, India and the Philippines.
CST and IST: quick answers
Is India ahead of or behind Central Time?
India is 11½ hours ahead of Central Time right now. That changes on Sunday, March 14, 2027, when it becomes 10½ hours ahead of Central Time.
Does daylight saving change the Central Time–India time difference?
Yes. Only Central Time changes its clocks; India doesn’t use daylight saving time. Over the next year the difference is 11½ hours now, then 10½ hours from March 14. The converter above applies these changes for any date you pick.
What’s the best time for a call between Central Time and India?
Normal 8 AM–5 PM working days don’t overlap. The least painful option is 7:00 AM–10:30 AM in Central Time, which is 6:30 PM–10:00 PM in India: early or late for one side, but inside 7 AM–10 PM for both. For a regular meeting, consider rotating the time (times for today; they move with daylight saving changes).