Indian Government Mandates Indian Standard Time (IST) for National Security and Digital Sovereignty
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Key Event | Indian Standard Time (IST) to become mandatory across all sectors by Legal Metrology (Indian Standard Time) Rules, 2025 |
| Announced by | Union Minister Pralhad Joshi |
| Purpose | Ensure uniform timekeeping, reduce cybersecurity vulnerabilities, and promote national security |
| Objective | Mandate IST for legal, commercial, digital, and administrative domains, eliminate reliance on foreign time sources |
| Key Features | - IST mandatory across sectors <br> - Prohibits alternative time sources unless authorized <br> - Applicable to transportation, telecom, financial markets, utilities |
| Infrastructure | - Five Regional Reference Standard Laboratories (RRSLs) in Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Bhubaneswar, Faridabad, Guwahati <br> - Equipped with atomic clocks and secure synchronization systems <br> - Uses Network Time Protocol (NTP) and Precision Time Protocol (PTP) <br> - Offers millisecond to microsecond level accuracy |
| Coordination | - Department of Consumer Affairs <br> - CSIR-NPL (National Physical Laboratory) <br> - ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) |
| Strategic Significance | - Reduces digital mismatches and investigation delays <br> - Counters spoofing and jamming vulnerabilities <br> - Secures power grids, railways, financial systems, and communication networks <br> Improves fairness in billing and trust in digital transactions <br> Aligns with Digital India and Atmanirbhar Bharat vision |
| Stakeholder Support | - Round Table Conference with 100+ stakeholders from telecom, banking, railways, utilities <br> - Secretary Nidhi Khare emphasized infrastructure readiness and urgency of implementation |