CST to IST conversion: US Central Standard Time (UTC−6) is 11 hours 30 minutes behind Indian Standard Time, and Central Daylight Time (UTC−5, used March to November) is 10 hours 30 minutes behind. The converter below applies the correct one automatically for the date you pick.
Uses your browser’s built-in time zone data (IANA tz database), so daylight saving is applied for the date you pick. Nothing you enter leaves your device.
This page covers both the Chicago/Dallas-area zone pair: Central Standard Time (CST, UTC−6) in winter and Central Daylight Time (CDT, UTC−5) in summer. India keeps a single fixed offset, IST (UTC+5:30), all year with no daylight saving.
CST/CDT to IST offsets and 2026 switch dates
| Period (2026) | US Central zone | UTC offset | India (IST) is ahead by |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Jan – 8 March 2026 | CST | UTC−6 | 11 h 30 min |
| 8 March 2026 – 1 November 2026 | CDT | UTC−5 | 10 h 30 min |
| 1 November 2026 – 31 Dec | CST | UTC−6 | 11 h 30 min |
Clocks in Chicago and Dallas go forward on Sunday 8 March 2026, 2:00 am local time and back on Sunday 1 November 2026, 2:00 am local time — the same nationwide rule used by every US time zone (second Sunday in March to first Sunday in November, US Energy Policy Act of 2005); source: 15 U.S. Code § 260a, checked 13 October 2026 against the IANA time zone database. India does not use daylight saving: IST is UTC+5:30 all year.
India–Chicago/Dallas business hours overlap
India working day 09:00–18:00 IST, Central-zone working day 09:00–17:00 local time; working hours are in bold. Winter column uses CST, summer column uses CDT.
| IST (India) | Chicago/Dallas, CST (winter) | Chicago/Dallas, CDT (summer) |
|---|---|---|
| 07:00 | 19:30 (−1 day) | 20:30 (−1 day) |
| 08:00 | 20:30 (−1 day) | 21:30 (−1 day) |
| 09:00 | 21:30 (−1 day) | 22:30 (−1 day) |
| 10:00 | 22:30 (−1 day) | 23:30 (−1 day) |
| 11:00 | 23:30 (−1 day) | 00:30 |
| 12:00 | 00:30 | 01:30 |
| 13:00 | 01:30 | 02:30 |
| 14:00 | 02:30 | 03:30 |
| 15:00 | 03:30 | 04:30 |
| 16:00 | 04:30 | 05:30 |
| 17:00 | 05:30 | 06:30 |
| 18:00 | 06:30 | 07:30 |
| 19:00 | 07:30 | 08:30 |
| 20:00 | 08:30 | 09:30 |
| 21:00 | 09:30 | 10:30 |
| 22:00 | 10:30 | 11:30 |
| 23:00 | 11:30 | 12:30 |
Scheduling tips
- Always write meeting times with both zones, for example “20:00 IST / 09:30 CDT”.
- On each switch date the gap to India changes by one hour; re-check recurring meetings that week.
- Calendar apps convert automatically if each invite carries a time zone; avoid typing times in the subject line only.
- Dallas and Chicago share the same Central zone and the same switch dates, so one conversion covers both cities.
Coordinating with offices on the US West Coast instead? Use the pst to ist converter for the Pacific time zone. Working off a UTC-stamped log or server time instead of a US city? The utc to ist converter covers UTC/GMT and other non-US zones.
Share your result or suggest a fix
Did the converter show a time you did not expect? Email [email protected] with the date, both cities and what you expected; we check it against the IANA time zone database and note any correction with its date. Comments are switched off on this site.
FAQ
Is CST 10 or 11 hours behind India?
Both, depending on the date: 11 h 30 min behind during CST (early November to early March) and 10 h 30 min behind during CDT (March to November).
What is 9 am IST in CST?
In winter (CST) 9:00 am IST is 9:30 pm the previous day in Chicago/Dallas; in summer (CDT) it is 10:30 pm the previous day.
When is the best time to call Chicago or Dallas from India?
Between about 7:00 pm and 10:00 pm IST, which is Central-zone morning (9:00 am to 12:00 noon during CDT, 8:00 to 11:00 am during CST).
Does India change its clocks like the US Central zone does?
No. IST stays at UTC+5:30 all year; only the US Central zone (CST/CDT) changes.
Kalinga Times is an independent time tools site, not affiliated with the former Kalinga Times newspaper. Kalinga Times home.
Updated 13 October 2026 · Kalinga Times editorial team
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