The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has issued a letter to internet service providers (ISPs), encouraging them to align their systems with Indian Standard Time (IST) as part of the government’s broader “One Nation, One Time” initiative. This advisory refers to the Draft Legal Metrology (Indian Standard Time) Rules introduced by the Department of Consumer Affairs, which proposes making IST (UTC +5:30) a legal standard for all entities.
While the rules are still under consultation and not yet notified, the DoT is urging ISPs to take pre-emptive steps and prepare for compliance. Specifically, ISPs have been advised to synchronise their clocks with time servers maintained by the National Informatics Centre or the National Physical Laboratory.
Currently, there is no legal mandate for telecom and ISPs to use IST. However, the proposed rules aim to introduce penalties for non-compliance. Further, the government believes that adopting IST across sectors will strengthen national and cybersecurity frameworks, improve regulatory reporting accuracy, and enhance the coordination of critical infrastructure systems such as railways.
