Best Time to Call Family Abroad from India: Country-by-Country Guide (2026)
Quick answer: The best time to call family abroad is a time when both of you are awake and free, usually between 8 AM and 9:30 PM on both sides. From India that means the Indian evening for the US and Canadian East Coast (New York, Toronto), the Indian morning for the West Coast (Los Angeles, Vancouver), the afternoon and evening for the UK, almost any time for the UAE, and the morning for Australia, Singapore and Japan. The exact hours change by one hour when the other country changes its clocks, so check the date before you fix a weekly call.
This guide gives a quick table for the most common countries, explains how to pick a time that works for everyone, and shows the mistakes that cause missed calls.
Key takeaways
- The gap with India is not fixed for the USA, UK, most of Canada and much of Australia. It changes by 1 hour when their clocks change.
- India is ahead of the USA, UK, Canada and UAE, and behind Australia, Singapore and Japan.
- For New York and Toronto, the Indian evening is the morning there. This is the easiest slot.
- Los Angeles and Vancouver have the smallest overlap, so one fixed weekly slot works better than random calls.
- Check the date as well as the time. After midnight in India it is still the previous day in the USA and Canada.
- Use a time converter before you fix a regular call, and look again after each clock change.
Quick table: good times to call by city
The table shows the hours when both people are in a normal daytime or evening slot. Times show when the call can start. Each cell gives India time first, then the local time in brackets. They are for an ordinary weekday and are based on the usual clock rules for January and July 2027.
| City | Gap with India | Good start times in January (India time, then local) | Good start times in July |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York, USA | 9h 30m to 10h 30m, India ahead | 7 PM to 9 PM (8:30 AM to 10:30 AM) | 6 PM to 9 PM (8:30 AM to 11:30 AM) |
| Los Angeles, USA | 12h 30m to 13h 30m, India ahead | 8 AM to 10 AM (6:30 PM to 8:30 PM) | 8 AM to 9 AM (7:30 PM to 8:30 PM) |
| London, UK | 4h 30m to 5h 30m, India ahead | 2 PM to 9 PM (8:30 AM to 3:30 PM) | 1 PM to 9 PM (8:30 AM to 4:30 PM) |
| Toronto, Canada | 9h 30m to 10h 30m, India ahead | 7 PM to 9 PM (8:30 AM to 10:30 AM) | 6 PM to 9 PM (8:30 AM to 11:30 AM) |
| Vancouver, Canada | 12h 30m, India ahead | 8 AM to 9 AM (7:30 PM to 8:30 PM) | 8 AM to 9 AM (7:30 PM to 8:30 PM) |
| Sydney, Australia | 4h 30m to 5h 30m, India behind | 8 AM to 3 PM (1:30 PM to 8:30 PM) | 8 AM to 4 PM (12:30 PM to 8:30 PM) |
| Perth, Australia | 2h 30m, India behind | 8 AM to 6 PM (10:30 AM to 8:30 PM) | 8 AM to 6 PM (10:30 AM to 8:30 PM) |
| Dubai, UAE | 1h 30m, India ahead | 10 AM to 9 PM (8:30 AM to 7:30 PM) | 10 AM to 9 PM (8:30 AM to 7:30 PM) |
| Singapore | 2h 30m, India behind | 8 AM to 6 PM (10:30 AM to 8:30 PM) | 8 AM to 6 PM (10:30 AM to 8:30 PM) |
| Tokyo, Japan | 3h 30m, India behind | 8 AM to 5 PM (11:30 AM to 8:30 PM) | 8 AM to 5 PM (11:30 AM to 8:30 PM) |
Click a city to open its page with a live converter and the exact time for your date.
How to pick a time that works for both of you
- Start with the person who has the tighter day. A student, a shift worker or someone with young children usually has fewer free hours. Build the call around them.
- Find the overlap. Use the table above or the live tool to see the hours when it is daytime or early evening on both sides.
- Fix one regular slot. A call at the same time each week is easier than agreeing a time every time. Write it in both calendars, with the time zone.
- Plan for the clock change. When the other country moves its clocks, your regular call shifts by one hour on one side. Decide in advance if you will keep the Indian time or the local time.
- Keep a back-up slot. Pick a second time, such as the weekend, in case the first one does not work.
Country by country notes
USA and Canada
India is 8.5 to 13.5 hours ahead, depending on the city and the season. British Columbia (Vancouver) and Alberta (Calgary) stopped changing their clocks in 2026, so those two gaps stay the same all year. A call at 8 PM in India is a morning call in New York or Toronto. If your family is on the West Coast, in Los Angeles or Vancouver, the overlap is only about one to three hours. It usually falls in the early Indian morning, which is the evening of the day before there, so keep that slot protected. See the India to USA and India to Canada pages for each city.
UK
London is 4.5 to 5.5 hours behind India. The Indian afternoon and evening work well. The UK changes its clocks on different dates from the USA, so for a few weeks a year the gap is not the usual one. See India to UK.
UAE
The UAE is only 1 hour 30 minutes behind India and does not change its clocks, so almost any normal hour works. Check the weekend, because many UAE workplaces now rest on Saturday and Sunday and some work a short day on Friday. See India to UAE.
Australia
India is 2.5 to 5.5 hours behind. The best time is the Indian morning or early afternoon. Australian states follow different clock rules, so Sydney and Brisbane can differ by one hour for part of the year. See India to Australia.
Singapore and Japan
Singapore is 2 hours 30 minutes ahead of India and Japan is 3 hours 30 minutes ahead, all year, with no clock change. Mid-morning to late afternoon in India is a comfortable slot. See India to Singapore and India to Japan.
Common mistakes that cause missed calls
- Using a fixed number of hours all year. The gap with New York is 9 hours 30 minutes in US summer and 10 hours 30 minutes in winter.
- Forgetting the date. A call at 1 AM Sunday in India is still Saturday afternoon in New York.
- Mixing up time zones inside one country. The USA, Canada and Australia each have several.
- Not saying which time zone you mean. Write for example 8 PM IST, not just 8 PM.
- Calling at the first free hour for you without checking how it feels on the other side.
Flying out to meet them?
If you are planning a visit, our guide to jet lag from India to the USA has a simple sleep plan. For longer flights, read the tips for a first long-haul flight. You can also open all our free travel tools.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best time to call the USA from India?
For New York, an Indian evening call between about 6 PM and 9 PM is a morning call there. For Los Angeles, the overlap is shorter: the early Indian morning (the evening before in Los Angeles), or around 9 PM in India during US summer. Use the live tool for the exact hours on your date.
What is the best time to call the UK from India?
The Indian afternoon and early evening work best, because it is morning to afternoon in London. London is 4 hours 30 minutes behind India in UK summer and 5 hours 30 minutes behind in winter.
What is the best time to call Australia from India?
The Indian morning and early afternoon usually work best. India is behind Australia by 2.5 to 5.5 hours, depending on the city and the season.
Is it rude to call someone late at night?
It depends on the person and your relationship. A simple habit is to agree on a regular time, or send a message first to ask if it is a good time to call.
How do I schedule a regular call across time zones?
Pick a slot that is a normal hour on both sides, write the time zone in the invite, and check the time again after each clock change.
Which countries have no time change with India during the year?
The gap with the UAE, Singapore and Japan never changes, because these countries do not use daylight saving time. The gap with the USA, the UK, most of Canada and most of Australia changes by 1 hour twice a year.
Last updated: 10 October 2026. Hours are based on standard clock rules and may change if a country changes its rules.
Varinder Kaur is from Amritsar, India. She has traveled to well-known places across India, including Darjeeling, and to a few countries abroad, and shares travel experiences and practical tips for travelers through OpinionHook.
