Government has notified the Legal Metrology (Indian Standard Time) Rules, 2026. The move marks a significant step towards establishing Indian Standard Time (IST) as the common, legally recognised and traceable time reference for the country.
The Rules were notified by the Department of Consumer Affairs on the 27th of last month and published in the Official Gazette on the 29th.
They provide a comprehensive framework for the generation, maintenance, dissemination and use of IST. The Rules will come into force 180 days from the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.
The initiative supports the Government’s vision of “One Nation, One Time”, ensuring that critical sectors and digital systems across the country operate with a common and reliable time reference.
