IST to EST: How to Convert India Time to Eastern Time
India is 10 hours 30 minutes ahead of US Eastern time in winter, when the US is on EST, and 9 hours 30 minutes ahead in summer, when it's on EDT. India never touches its clocks; the US does, so the gap moves by an hour twice a year.
The conversion, step by step
Take the India time and subtract the gap, then check the date, because the answer very often lands on the day before.
- In winter (EST), subtract 10 hours 30 minutes: 9:00 PM IST is 10:30 AM EST, same day.
- In summer (EDT), subtract 9 hours 30 minutes: 9:00 PM IST is 11:30 AM EDT, same day.
Early India times roll back a day. 8:00 AM IST on Tuesday, for instance, is 9:30 PM on Monday in New York in winter.
Is New York on EST or EDT right now?
EST is the winter name and EDT the summer one. US daylight saving starts on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday in November. Lots of people write "EST" all year round, which is technically an hour wrong in summer, so if you'd rather not think about it, write "ET" (Eastern Time) and it covers whichever applies. The IST to EST converter picks the right one for whatever date you enter.
Quick reference table
| IST | Eastern, winter (EST) | Eastern, summer (EDT) |
|---|---|---|
| 6:00 AM | 7:30 PM (previous day) | 8:30 PM (previous day) |
| 9:00 AM | 10:30 PM (previous day) | 11:30 PM (previous day) |
| 12:00 PM | 1:30 AM | 2:30 AM |
| 3:00 PM | 4:30 AM | 5:30 AM |
| 6:00 PM | 7:30 AM | 8:30 AM |
| 9:00 PM | 10:30 AM | 11:30 AM |
| 11:00 PM | 12:30 PM | 1:30 PM |
Where conversions usually go wrong
The half hour gets dropped more than anything else. India sits five and a half hours from UTC, not five, so working with a flat 10 hours leaves you 30 minutes out. The next trap is using one gap all year when it's really 10 hours 30 minutes in winter and 9 hours 30 minutes in summer, and for a short spell in March and again around the end of October the US and Europe are on different schedules, so even that can wobble. The third is simply forgetting the date: in any email about an interview or a call, put the day next to the time.
Going the other way, EST to IST
Add the gap instead, so 10 hours 30 minutes in winter or 9 hours 30 minutes in summer. 9:00 AM EST becomes 7:30 PM IST. The EST to IST converter checks a specific date for you. If this is a call you make every week, the best time to call India from the USA and UK has a full table, and once three or more places are involved, the Meeting Planner saves a lot of head-scratching.