Time Difference: India and London
London is 5 hours 30 minutes behind India in winter and 4 hours 30 minutes behind in summer. 9:00 AM in India is 3:30 AM in London on GMT and 4:30 AM on BST.
Daylight saving note: India never changes its clocks. London is 5 hours 30 minutes behind during GMT and 4 hours 30 minutes behind during BST, which runs from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October.
Why the India-London Gap Moves by an Hour
India is UTC+5:30 all year. London runs on UTC+0 in the cold months and UTC+1 once BST starts. That makes the gap 5 hours 30 minutes in winter and 4 hours 30 minutes in summer, and the only thing that moves it is the UK clock change.
The switch happens on the last Sunday in March (the UK moves forward) and the last Sunday in October (it moves back). India doesn't do anything on those dates, so a meeting held at a fixed India time lands an hour later on London's clock after the spring change.
Here's a quick check. 4:00 PM in India is 10:30 AM in London in winter and 11:30 AM in summer. If you remember "five and a half" and use it in July, you'll be an hour out.
India to London Conversion Table
Each column is one real season of the India-London gap. Pick the column that matches your date.
| 🇮🇳 India (IST) | 🇬🇧 London (IST → GMT) | 🇬🇧 London (IST → BST) |
|---|---|---|
| 00:00 | 18:30(prev day) | 19:30(prev day) |
| 03:00 | 21:30(prev day) | 22:30(prev day) |
| 06:00 | 00:30 | 01:30 |
| 09:00 | 03:30 | 04:30 |
| 12:00 | 06:30 | 07:30 |
| 15:00 | 09:30 | 10:30 |
| 18:00 | 12:30 | 13:30 |
| 21:00 | 15:30 | 16:30 |
- IST → GMT: late October to late March, while the UK is on GMT
- IST → BST: late March to late October, while the UK is on BST
* "next day" / "prev day" = the converted time falls on a different calendar date.
Best Meeting Time for India and London
The shared 9-to-5 window is short and sits at the end of the India day. In winter it runs from 2:30 PM to 5:00 PM in India, which is 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM in London. In summer it opens an hour earlier, 1:30 PM to 5:00 PM in India, which is 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM in London. India's close is what limits it in both seasons.
Avoiding India-London Time Mistakes
London is behind, so an early morning in India is still the previous calendar day in London. With a 5 hours 30 minutes gap, that applies to anything before 5:30 AM in India: 5:00 AM there is 11:30 PM the previous day in London. When the gap narrows to 4 hours 30 minutes, the cut-off moves to 4:30 AM.
The weeks after each UK clock change are where recurring calls go wrong. A call booked at 3:00 PM London time is 8:30 PM in India in winter and 7:30 PM in summer. Put the India time in the invite body so nobody has to rely on a calendar app converting it correctly.
A Worked Example: An Afternoon India Call With London
Say an India team schedules a 3:00 PM call with London. On GMT that's 9:30 AM in London, and on BST it's 10:30 AM. A 4:00 PM start is 10:30 AM on GMT and 11:30 AM on BST.
If London hosts at 10:00 AM, India joins at 3:30 PM on GMT and 2:30 PM on BST.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the time difference between India and London?
London is 5 hours 30 minutes behind India while the UK is on GMT (late October to late March) and 4 hours 30 minutes behind while it is on BST (late March to late October).
What time is 9 AM in India in London?
On GMT, 9:00 AM in India is 3:30 AM in London. On BST it's 4:30 AM. Either way it's in the middle of the night or very early morning in London.
Does daylight saving change the India-London difference?
Yes, because of London. India has no daylight saving, but the UK moves its clocks forward on the last Sunday in March and back on the last Sunday in October, so the gap shifts by an hour on those dates.
What is the best time to schedule an India-London call?
Early afternoon in India. On GMT, 2:30 PM to 5:00 PM IST is 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM in London. On BST, 1:30 PM to 5:00 PM IST is 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM.