One Nation, One time: Govt drafts rules for mandatory adoption of Indian Standard Time

Vartha Bharati | 26-01-2025 | 23:00:00 IST

Representational Image | PC: iStock

New Delhi, Jan 26 (PTI): In a move to standardize timekeeping, the government has drafted comprehensive rules mandating the exclusive use of Indian Standard Time (IST) across all official and commercial platforms, with the Consumer Affairs Ministry seeking public feedback by February 14.

The Legal Metrology (Indian Standard Time) Rules, 2024, aims to establish a legal framework for standardising timekeeping practices, mandating IST as the sole time reference for legal, administrative, commercial, and official documents.

"IST shall be the mandatory time reference across all sectors, including commerce, transport, public administration, legal contracts, and financial operations," as per the draft rule.

Key provisions include, prohibition of time references other than IST for official and commercial purposes, mandatory display of IST in government offices and public institutions and requirement for time-synchronization systems to ensure reliability, availability, and cybersecurity.

The proposal comes as part of efforts to ensure precise timekeeping in critical national infrastructure, including telecommunications, banking, defence, and emerging technologies like 5G and artificial intelligence.

"Precise time with nanosecond accuracy is essential for strategic and non-strategic sectors," a senior government official told PTI.

Exceptions will be allowed for specialised fields such as astronomy, navigation, and scientific research, subject to prior government approval.

The Department of Consumer Affairs is collaborating with the National Physical Laboratory and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to develop a robust time generation and dissemination mechanism.

Violations of the proposed rules will attract penalties, with periodic audits planned to ensure compliance across sectors.

Public stakeholders have been invited to submit comments and suggestions on the draft rules by February 14.

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IAF to hold 2-day wargame along frontier with Pakistan: NOTAM issued

06-05-2025 ¦ 06-05-2025 IST

Representational Image | PC: ANI

New Delhi, May 6 (PTI): The Indian Air Force will carry out a two-day mega military exercise along the border with Pakistan from Wednesday that will involve all the frontline fighter jets including Rafale, Su-30 and Jaguar aircraft, sources in the defence establishment said on Tuesday.

The exercise is taking place amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan over the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people.

India's civil aviation authorities have already issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) for the major air exercise that will largely take place along the southern and western section of the Indo-Pakistan border.

India's frontline fighter jets including the Rafale, Su-30 MKI, MiG-29, Mirage-2000, Tejas and AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) aircraft are set to feature in the exercise, the sources said.

In the course of the exercise, the IAF will simulate enemy targets on ground and in the air with deadly precision, they said.

The militaries of both India and Pakistan are on a high alert following rising tensions between the two nations.

Soon after the Pahalgam terror attack, India, citing "cross-border linkages" to the strike, promised severe punishment to those involved in it.

In a high-level meeting with the top defence brass on April 29, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the armed forces have "complete operational freedom" to decide on the mode, targets and timing of India's response to the terror attack.

Air Chief Marshal A P Singh met Prime Minister Modi on Sunday and the Chief of Air Staff briefed him about the IAF's operational readiness.

On Saturday, Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi apprised the prime minister on the overall situation in the critical sea lanes in the Arabian Sea.