Why is there a time difference of about 5 hours between India and London?

Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) is the standard time observed in London. The Prime Meridian is positioned 82½ degrees east of the Indian Standard Meridian, leading to Indian Standard Time (IST) being 5 hours and 30 minutes ahead of GMT. This means that when it is midnight in London, it is 5:30 AM in India. Due to the Earth’s west-to-east rotation, sunlight first reaches the easternmost longitudes, making countries east of the Prime Meridian ahead in time, while those west of it lag behind.

When making a call between London and India, it's important to note that the two countries are in different time zones. The current time difference is 4 hours 30 minutes, considering British Summer Time (BST).

• If you are in London, the best time to schedule a meeting or conference call with someone in India is between 9:00 AM and 1:30 PM, as this aligns with India’s working hours from 1:30 PM to 6:00 PM.
• If you are available anytime and need to contact someone in India, the ideal period would be between 2:30 AM and 6:30 PM in London, which corresponds to 7:00 AM to 11:00 PM IST.

Time Zones of India and London

1. India Standard Time (IST) - India follows India Standard Time (IST), which is UTC+5:30. Unlike many other countries, India does not observe daylight saving time (DST), meaning the time remains the same throughout the year.

2. London Time Zone – Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) and British Summer Time (BST)- London operates on Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) (UTC+0) during winter and switches to British Summer Time (BST) (UTC+1) from late March to late October due to daylight saving adjustments.

Time Difference Between India and London

The standard time difference between India and London varies depending on the time of the year:

• From late October to late March (when the UK follows GMT), the time difference between India and England is 5 hours 30 minutes (IST is ahead).
• From late March to late October (when the UK follows BST), the time difference reduces to 4 hours 30 minutes because London moves one hour ahead.

For example:

• If it's 12 PM UK time, it would be 5:30 PM IST (when the UK is in GMT).
• If it's 1 PM UK time, it would be 5:30 PM IST (during BST).
• 6 PM UK time to IST would be 11:30 PM IST when BST is in effect.

Why Does India Have a 5 Hours 30 Minutes Time Difference With London?

The Earth is divided into 24 time zones, each covering 15 degrees of longitude. However, India follows a single time zone (IST) for the entire country, which is set at UTC+5:30, instead of being rounded to the nearest hour.

London, on the other hand, follows GMT (UTC+0) or BST (UTC+1) depending on the season. The difference of 5 hours and 30 minutes exists because of:

1. India’s central meridian (82.5° E longitude) being ahead of the Prime Meridian (0° longitude) in London.
2. India not using daylight saving time, while London shifts its clock forward by 1 hour during summers (BST).

Current Time in London and India

If you're wondering what's the time in London now, you can check live updates using world clocks. The current time in the UK and the present time in England can be easily accessed through time zone conversion tools.

For example:

• What’s the time in London now? You can check live updates online.
• What time is it in London now? It depends on whether the UK is observing GMT or BST.
• UK time right now can be converted to IST using online converters.
• Present time in England and present time in London updates every second on digital world clocks.

London and India Time Difference Conversions

If you need to convert UK time to IST for scheduling, use these references:

Conclusion

The time difference between India and London exists due to the Earth's rotation and designated time zones. India follows IST (UTC+5:30), while London follows GMT (UTC+0) or BST (UTC+1). This results in a 5 hours 30 minutes gap in winter and a 4 hours 30 minutes gap in summer. If you are wondering what time is it in England right now, use a reliable time zone converter or check global time clocks.