India’s timekeeping system, traditionally based on Indian Standard Time (IST), is set to undergo a significant transformation. In the coming months, the country’s reference time will no longer be solely determined by GPS satellites. Instead, it will rely on the Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC) system, which will link to the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) to provide accurate reference time.
A laboratory in Faridabad will receive the time from NavIC, which will then be transmitted via optical fiber to four other centers in Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Bhubaneswar, and Guwahati. Each of these centers will house an atomic clock, ensuring that digital devices such as smartphones, laptops, and digital watches display time based on atomic clock standards, rather than data from multiple GPS sources. This system will soon allow regional centers to broadcast the time nationwide, establishing “one nation, one time.”
The initiative, initially conceived after the Kargil war, aims to reduce India’s dependence on foreign satellite systems for precise location and time data. Nidhi Khare, the consumer affairs secretary, confirmed that much of the work has been completed, with atomic clocks installed in key cities and successful tests conducted on the NavIC link to NPL Faridabad. The project is expected to improve synchronization across critical sectors such as banking, telecommunications, power grids, transportation, and defense.
As the transition progresses, a draft notification mandates the use of IST as the official time reference for all legal, administrative, and commercial documents. Exceptions will apply to specialized fields like astronomy and scientific research, subject to government approval.
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