The Department of Consumer Affairs has notified the Legal Metrology (Indian Standard Time) Rules, 2026. The Rules provide for Indian Standard Time (IST) as the common time reference across the country for legal, administrative, commercial and other official purposes.

 

The common time reference will support accurate time-stamping of banking and digital payment transactions, coordination of railways, airports and other transport systems, and also the coordination of emergency and other time-sensitive services.

 

The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution said that the Rules will come into force one hundred eighty days from the date of their publication in the Official Gazette. The rules are aimed at ensuring that important systems across the country use accurate and consistent IST.