CST to IST Converter and Time Difference
IST is 11 hours and 30 minutes ahead of CST.
Best meeting time
No time works for everyone. Best compromise: 12:00 AM to 1:00 AM (Chicago time), when 1 city is outside working hours.
Working hours are 9 AM to 5 PM in each city. Times are for Friday, 6 November 2026.
CST 6 AM to 10 PM in IST
Each row is a time in Central Time (CST/CDT) and the matching time in India Standard Time.
| CST | IST | Day | Fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6:00 AM | 5:30 PM | Same day | Outside working hours |
| 7:00 AM | 6:30 PM | Same day | Early or late for one city |
| 8:00 AM | 7:30 PM | Same day | Early or late for one city |
| 9:00 AM | 8:30 PM | Same day | Early or late for one city |
| 10:00 AM | 9:30 PM | Same day | Outside working hours |
| 11:00 AM | 10:30 PM | Same day | Outside working hours |
| 12:00 PM | 11:30 PM | Same day | Outside working hours |
| 1:00 PM | 12:30 AM | +1 | Outside working hours |
| 2:00 PM | 1:30 AM | +1 | Outside working hours |
| 3:00 PM | 2:30 AM | +1 | Outside working hours |
| 4:00 PM | 3:30 AM | +1 | Outside working hours |
| 5:00 PM | 4:30 AM | +1 | Outside working hours |
| 6:00 PM | 5:30 AM | +1 | Outside working hours |
| 7:00 PM | 6:30 AM | +1 | Outside working hours |
| 8:00 PM | 7:30 AM | +1 | Early or late for one city |
| 9:00 PM | 8:30 AM | +1 | Outside working hours |
| 10:00 PM | 9:30 AM | +1 | Outside working hours |
Each row is a time in Central Time (CST/CDT) and the matching time in India Standard Time.
IST 6 AM to 10 PM in CST
The same comparison in the other direction: each row is a time in India Standard Time and the matching time in Central Time (CST/CDT).
| IST | CST | Day | Fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6:00 AM | 6:30 PM | -1 | Outside working hours |
| 7:00 AM | 7:30 PM | -1 | Early or late for one city |
| 8:00 AM | 8:30 PM | -1 | Early or late for one city |
| 9:00 AM | 9:30 PM | -1 | Outside working hours |
| 10:00 AM | 10:30 PM | -1 | Outside working hours |
| 11:00 AM | 11:30 PM | -1 | Outside working hours |
| 12:00 PM | 12:30 AM | Same day | Outside working hours |
| 1:00 PM | 1:30 AM | Same day | Outside working hours |
| 2:00 PM | 2:30 AM | Same day | Outside working hours |
| 3:00 PM | 3:30 AM | Same day | Outside working hours |
| 4:00 PM | 4:30 AM | Same day | Outside working hours |
| 5:00 PM | 5:30 AM | Same day | Outside working hours |
| 6:00 PM | 6:30 AM | Same day | Outside working hours |
| 7:00 PM | 7:30 AM | Same day | Early or late for one city |
| 8:00 PM | 8:30 AM | Same day | Early or late for one city |
| 9:00 PM | 9:30 AM | Same day | Outside working hours |
| 10:00 PM | 10:30 AM | Same day | Outside working hours |
Each row is a time in India Standard Time and the matching time in Central Time (CST/CDT).
Daylight saving and this time difference
Only CST uses daylight saving time, so the gap changes twice a year when its clocks move.
UTC offsets right now: CST is UTCUTC-6, and IST is UTCUTC+5:30 on Friday, 6 November 2026. Check the date of your meeting in the planner, since the gap can change for a few weeks each year.
To compare more than two cities, open the meeting planner. To see the gap between any two cities, try the time difference calculator.
Related conversions
Frequently asked questions
What is the time difference between CST and IST?
IST is 11 hours and 30 minutes ahead of CST. The comparison uses Friday, 6 November 2026, so the result is correct for that date.
When is the best time for a meeting between CST and IST?
No time works for everyone. Best compromise: 12:00 AM to 1:00 AM (Chicago time), when 1 city is outside working hours.
Does the time difference between CST and IST change with daylight saving?
Only CST uses daylight saving time, so the gap changes twice a year when its clocks move.