New Delhi, Aug. 30 -- The government has notified new rules making Indian Standard Time (IST) the single reference for legal, administrative, commercial and other official activities across the country.

The Legal Metrology (Indian Standard Time) Rules, 2026 were notified by the Consumer Affairs Ministry on August 27. However, they will take effect 180 days

after publication in the official gazette, allowing government departments, businesses and institutions time to update their systems.

The move comes as banking, digital payments, telecommunications, railways, power grids and computer networks increasingly depend on accurate and synchronised timestamps. The ministry said differences between time sources currently being used could affect the coordination and recording of such activities.

Under the new framework, a common time reference will support timestamping of financial and digital payment transactions, coordination of railways, airports and other transport networks, telecommunications and internet services, power systems, government and legal records, as well as emergency and other time-sensitive operations.

The rules also seek to reduce reliance on foreign satellite-based timing sources used by some critical systems. The government is developing infrastructure through Indian institutions and legal metrology laboratories to distribute accurate IST.

The framework permits the use of NavIC, India's indigenous satellite navigation system, and other approved Indian timing sources for secure time dissemination. The initiative is part of the government's "One Nation, One Time" programme. In July 2026, the ministry commissioned a White Rabbit Technology-based IST Dissemination Demonstration Network at the Regional Reference Standard Laboratory (RRSL) in Bengaluru.

A separate demonstration involving the ministry, CSIR-National Physical Laboratory, Isro, Sebi, the National Stock Exchange (NSE) and BSNL showed secure transmission of IST between RRSL Bengaluru and NSE Chennai.

The ministry said the 180-day transition period will allow stakeholders to assess existing systems, undertake technical upgrades and prepare for implementation.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.