Resetting India’s Clock

By Dr. Ram Gandhi, Businessman and Past President and Governor, IMC
India’s diversity extends beyond language and culture to the way daylight is distributed. From Arunachal Pradesh, where the sun rises around 4 a.m. in summer, to Gujarat, sunrise can be nearly two hours later. Yet the country follows a single time zone, Indian Standard Time (IST). While administratively convenient, this creates inefficiencies, especially for eastern India. At a time when balanced regional development is a national priority, introducing two time zones is not merely a matter of convenience but a practical economic reform.
The Economic Cost of a Single Time Zone
Eastern India, including the Northeast, West Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand and Bihar, has long lagged behind western and southern India in industrial growth and infrastructure. While several factors contribute to this gap, time misalignment is an overlooked issue.
Under IST, daylight in eastern India begins much earlier than official work schedules. Valuable morning hours are lost, while early sunsets shorten productive evenings and increase dependence on artificial lighting. This affects sectors such as agriculture, tea plantations, construction and small-scale manufacturing, all of which depend heavily on daylight. The result is lower productivity and lost economic opportunity.
Productivity and Human Well Being
Time alignment also affects human productivity. The body’s circadian rhythm functions best when daily routines match natural light cycles.
In eastern India, people often begin work after sunrise and continue after sunset. This can lead to fatigue, lower alertness and reduced efficiency. Children attending school during dark winter mornings face similar difficulties. Aligning working hours more closely with daylight would improve productivity, reduce stress and enhance overall well-being, benefits that can support long term economic growth.
Energy and Infrastructure Benefits
A second time zone could deliver immediate energy savings by reducing the need for artificial lighting in homes, offices and businesses. Lower evening power demand would ease pressure on electricity systems, particularly in regions still strengthening infrastructure.
Infrastructure projects would also benefit. Construction and public works often lose valuable daylight because of early sunsets. Better daylight alignment would extend usable working hours, improving labour productivity and helping projects finish faster.
Addressing Administrative Concerns
Critics often argue that multiple time zones would complicate railway schedules, flights and administration. However, such concerns are increasingly outdated.
Digital systems and automated scheduling already make multi time zone coordination routine across the world. Indian Railways and airlines have the capacity to manage dual time systems effectively.
In practice, eastern India has already adapted informally. In parts of the Northeast, “tea garden time” and early office schedules are common, functioning like an unofficial second time zone. Formal recognition would simply standardize what already exists.
National Unity and Regional Efficiency
The argument of “one nation, one time” is often raised in favour of a single time zone. While emotionally appealing, national unity depends on shared progress, not identical clocks.
Ignoring regional realities can widen inequality. If eastern states continue operating under less efficient conditions, development gaps may deepen. Countries such as the United States, Australia and Russia manage multiple time zones successfully without weakening national unity. India can do the same.
A Growth Opportunity for Eastern India
A second time zone, one hour ahead of IST for eastern India, could be a low-cost, high impact reform.
It would improve agricultural output, increase efficiency in MSMEs, support infrastructure development and make the region more attractive for investment. Tourism could also benefit through longer usable daylight hours.
Most importantly, it would signal a serious commitment to reducing regional disparities and creating more inclusive growth.
The Way Forward
A phased approach can ensure a smooth transition. The government could begin with a pilot project in the Northeast for a few years and assess outcomes.
Another option is to first legally recognize flexible working hours aligned with daylight, allowing people and institutions to adapt gradually before introducing a formal second time zone.
Public awareness campaigns, dual time displays in transport systems and digital integration can further simplify implementation.
Final Thought
The debate over India’s time zone is ultimately about adapting governance to changing realities. As India moves toward becoming a developed nation, inefficiencies that limit growth, especially in already disadvantaged regions must be addressed.
A two time zone system is more than a technical change. It is an economic reform that can improve productivity, conserve energy, strengthen infrastructure and support balanced regional development.
India has always shown the ability to adapt and innovate. Rethinking time itself may be an important next step in that journey.