'One Nation, One Time: Government Mandates IST Across Key Sectors
What Happened
The Centre has notified the Legal Metrology (Indian Standard Time) Rules, 2026, making Indian Standard Time (IST) the single official time reference for all legal, administrative, commercial, and government purposes across the country. The rules will take effect 180 days after publication, giving institutions time to align their systems.
Key Takeaways
The move aims to ensure uniform timekeeping across banking, digital payments, telecom networks, railways, airports, power grids, and emergency services. It also seeks to reduce reliance on foreign time sources by promoting indigenous systems such as NavIC under the government's "One Nation, One Time" initiative.