One Nation, One Time: Govt Notifies Draft Rules To Synchronise Time Across India

New Delhi: In a move to standardise timekeeping, the government has drafted comprehensive rules mandating the exclusive use of Indian Standard Time (IST) across all official and commercial platforms, with the Consumer Affairs Ministry seeking public feedback by February 14.

The Legal Metrology (Indian Standard Time) Rules, 2024, aims to establish a legal framework for standardising timekeeping practices, mandating IST as the sole time reference for legal, administrative, commercial, and official documents.

An official release said on Monday that the Department of Consumer Affairs, has notified the Draft Legal Metrology (Indian Standard Time) Rules, 2025, for “One Nation, One Time,” initiative to establish synchronized and precise IST across the country.

The project, undertaken in collaboration with the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), seeks to disseminate IST with millisecond to microsecond accuracy.

To achieve this precision, infrastructure will be established in five Legal Metrology laboratories across India. This effort is expected to significantly benefit sectors such as navigation, telecommunications, power grid synchronization, banking, digital governance, and advanced scientific research, including deep space navigation and gravitational wave detection.

At present, many Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) rely on foreign time sources like GPS instead of IST, posing risks to cybersecurity and the reliability of critical infrastructure.

Recognising these challenges, a high-powered inter-ministerial committee, chaired by the Secretary of Consumer Affairs, has been constituted.

The committee includes representatives from NPL, ISRO, IIT Kanpur, NIC, CERT-In, SEBI, and various government departments, including Railways, Telecom, and Financial Services. Its mandate is to develop a policy framework and regulations to ensure the mandatory adoption of IST across all sectors.

The Draft Legal Metrology (Indian Standard Time) Rules, 2025, published on January 15, 2025, for public consultation, aim to mandate the use of IST as the standard time reference nationwide. Public feedback is invited until February 14, 2025, through the official website of the Department of Consumer Affairs.

IST, based on Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) with a +5:30-hour offset, is maintained by the CSIR-NPL. The draft rules propose synchronization of all legal, administrative, and commercial activities with IST, prohibiting the use of alternative time references unless explicitly permitted by the government.

Key provisions include the adoption of reliable synchronization protocols like the Network Time Protocol (NTP) and Precision Time Protocol (PTP) for government offices and public institutions.

Cybersecurity measures and alternative reference mechanisms will also be implemented to ensure resilience during cyber-attacks or disruptions. Additionally, compliance audits will be conducted periodically, and penalties will be imposed for violations. Exceptions will be granted for scientific, astronomical, and navigational purposes with prior government approval.

The draft rules are poised to revolutionize time management in India by providing a unified and precise timekeeping framework. Enhanced synchronization will facilitate accurate financial transactions, improve emergency response coordination, and ensure consistent scheduling of public transportation.

Moreover, standardized timekeeping will streamline legal and regulatory compliance, optimizing industrial operations and boosting global competitiveness.

Critical sectors such as navigation, telecommunications, 5G technologies, artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things (IoT), and power grid synchronization stand to benefit significantly.

Reliable synchronization of digital devices and communication networks will improve consumer services and operational efficiency, creating a more robust infrastructure.