Converting IST to CST
IST is India Standard Time (UTC+5:30) and CST is US Central Standard Time (UTC−6). Because India runs half an hour off the hour and never changes its clocks, the two zones sit far apart on the day. The live clocks and conversion table above translate any hour in India to its equivalent in the Central time zone — computed from the official timezone rules in your browser, so daylight saving is always already applied.
What Is the Time Difference Between IST and CST?
India is 11.5 hours ahead of Central Standard Time, or 10.5 hours ahead during US daylight saving (when Central becomes CDT, UTC−5). India Standard Time stays fixed at UTC+5:30 all year, so the whole shift comes from the US side of the pair. The exact current difference is shown live under the clocks above.
IST to CST Conversion Table
Every hour of the day in India Standard Time with its equivalent in Central Time — computed live from the official timezone rules, so daylight saving is always already applied. The highlighted row is the current hour.
| IST | CST |
|---|
India and Central Time Zones
IST — India Standard Time (UTC+5:30, all year) covers Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru.
CST — Central Time (UTC−6 standard, UTC−5 in summer) covers Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Mexico City.
IST never changes, but Central Time observes daylight saving (becoming CDT, UTC−5, in summer) — so the gap between them shifts by an hour twice a year. This page always shows the current, correct difference.
Scheduling Across IST and CST
For calls and meetings, aim for the overlap of normal working hours in both zones — the conversion table above makes the window easy to spot. Morning on the western side of the pair usually meets evening on the eastern side.
FAQ
What's the time difference between IST and CST right now?
It's shown live under the clocks above, including any daylight saving currently in effect.
Is the table daylight-saving aware?
Yes — everything on this page is computed from the IANA timezone database in your browser, which applies the correct rules for today's date automatically.
Can I convert a specific date and time?
For a specific future date — including one that crosses a daylight saving change — use the full time zone converter.