Nepal Time to India Time: NPT to IST Difference and Call Guide
Nepal is 15 minutes ahead of India, every day of the year. When it is 12 noon in Kathmandu, it is 11:45 AM in India. To change Nepal time into India time, subtract 15 minutes. To change India time into Nepal time, add 15 minutes.
The gap is small, but it is easy to get wrong, because most people expect two neighbouring countries to share a clock. This guide explains why Nepal runs 15 minutes ahead, gives you a full hour-by-hour table, and covers the practical places where those 15 minutes matter: flights, buses, border crossings, meetings and calls home. For a live clock, use our India to Nepal time converter.
Quick Answer
- Time difference: Nepal is 15 minutes ahead of India.
- Nepal time zone: Nepal Time (NPT), UTC+5:45, used across the whole country.
- India time zone: India Standard Time (IST), UTC+5:30.
- Daylight saving: neither country changes its clocks, so the gap never changes.
Key Takeaways
- Subtract 15 minutes from Nepal time to get India time.
- Kathmandu, Pokhara, Lumbini, Chitwan and Biratnagar all share the same time.
- From 11:45 PM in India, it is already the next day in Nepal.
- Nepal also uses its own calendar, Bikram Sambat, so dates on Nepali documents look very different from Indian dates.
Why Is Nepal 15 Minutes Ahead of India?
Most countries set their clocks in whole hours or half hours from Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). Nepal is one of the very few places that uses a 45-minute offset: UTC+5:45.
The reason is geography. India Standard Time is based on a line of longitude that runs through central India, near Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh. Nepal chose a line of longitude further east, near Mount Gaurishankar in the Himalayas, so that clock time matches the sun more closely in Nepal itself. That line works out to 5 hours 45 minutes ahead of UTC.
Nepal adopted UTC+5:45 in 1986. Before that it used UTC+5:40. So if you see an old document or an old device setting with a 5:40 offset, it is out of date.
How to Convert Nepal Time to IST
- Nepal time to India time: subtract 15 minutes.
- India time to Nepal time: add 15 minutes.
The only time this needs extra care is near the hour and near midnight. For example, 6:05 PM in Nepal is 5:50 PM in India, which is in the previous hour. And 12:10 AM in Nepal is 11:55 PM in India, which is still the previous day.
Nepal to IST: Hour-by-Hour Table
Find the Nepal time on the left. For times in between, such as 2:40 PM, take away 15 minutes the same way: 2:40 PM in Nepal is 2:25 PM in India.
| Nepal (NPT) | India (IST) |
|---|---|
| — | — |
| 12:00 AM | 11:45 PM (previous day) |
| 1:00 AM | 12:45 AM |
| 2:00 AM | 1:45 AM |
| 3:00 AM | 2:45 AM |
| 4:00 AM | 3:45 AM |
| 5:00 AM | 4:45 AM |
| 6:00 AM | 5:45 AM |
| 7:00 AM | 6:45 AM |
| 8:00 AM | 7:45 AM |
| 9:00 AM | 8:45 AM |
| 10:00 AM | 9:45 AM |
| 11:00 AM | 10:45 AM |
| 12:00 PM | 11:45 AM |
| 1:00 PM | 12:45 PM |
| 2:00 PM | 1:45 PM |
| 3:00 PM | 2:45 PM |
| 4:00 PM | 3:45 PM |
| 5:00 PM | 4:45 PM |
| 6:00 PM | 5:45 PM |
| 7:00 PM | 6:45 PM |
| 8:00 PM | 7:45 PM |
| 9:00 PM | 8:45 PM |
| 10:00 PM | 9:45 PM |
| 11:00 PM | 10:45 PM |
Where the 15 Minutes Really Matter
Flights and buses
Every departure time in Nepal is in Nepal Time, and every departure in India is in India time. On a short flight from Delhi to Kathmandu, the clock jumps forward 15 minutes when you land, so your arrival time looks 15 minutes later than the flight length suggests. On the way back, you gain 15 minutes.
Long-distance buses and tourist buses in Nepal, for example between Kathmandu and Pokhara, often leave early in the morning. Set your alarm by Nepal time, not by a watch you forgot to change.
Crossing the land border
Many Indian travellers enter Nepal by road at crossings such as Sunauli, Raxaul and Kakarbhitta. Near the border, your phone may still connect to an Indian network and show India time for a while. If you have a bus or a meeting soon after crossing, check that your phone has switched to Nepal Time, or set it manually.
Online meetings and calls
Calendar apps usually handle the 15 minutes correctly, as long as each person has the right time zone set. Problems happen when someone types a time into a message. If a colleague in Kathmandu says “let’s talk at 4”, ask whether they mean Nepal time or India time.
Best Time to Call Nepal from India
Because the clocks are so close, most of the day works for both sides.
| Who you are calling | Good time in India | Time in Nepal |
|---|---|---|
| — | — | — |
| Family or friends | 7 PM to 9:30 PM | 7:15 PM to 9:45 PM |
| Offices and businesses | 10 AM to 5 PM | 10:15 AM to 5:15 PM |
| Hotels, trekking and travel agencies | 9 AM to 7 PM | 9:15 AM to 7:15 PM |
One thing to remember: Saturday is the main weekly holiday in Nepal, and many offices work on Sunday. So a Sunday call to a Nepali business can work, while a Saturday call often will not. For more ideas, see our guide on the best time to call family abroad from India.
Nepal’s Own Calendar: Bikram Sambat
This is not about the clock, but it causes just as much confusion. Nepal’s official calendar is Bikram Sambat (also written Vikram Samvat). It runs about 56 to 57 years ahead of the Gregorian calendar, and its months do not line up with January to December.
In practice, this means a date on a Nepali bus ticket, permit, receipt or school document may look very different from the date you expect. Many places show both calendars, but when you book something, confirm the date in the Gregorian calendar too.
Planning a Trip or Trek in Nepal
The time difference will not cause jet lag. A 15-minute change is smaller than most people notice. What affects how you feel in Nepal is altitude, early starts and long road journeys.
If you are heading into the mountains, read our guide on how to avoid altitude sickness on the Annapurna Base Camp trek, and our post on why it helps to trek with a local trekking company. For more ideas, see the best trekking destinations in the world.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Assuming India and Nepal share a clock. They do not. Nepal is 15 minutes ahead.
- Subtracting the wrong way. Nepal is ahead, so subtract 15 minutes from Nepal time to get India time.
- Trusting your phone at the border. It may still show India time near the crossing.
- Forgetting the date near midnight. From 11:45 PM in India, it is already the next day in Nepal.
- Mixing up calendars. A Nepali date in Bikram Sambat is not a mistake on your ticket.
Nepal Time to India Time in Hindi
नेपाल का समय भारत के समय से 15 मिनट आगे है। नेपाल के समय को भारत के समय में बदलने के लिए 15 मिनट घटाएं। जैसे, जब काठमांडू में दोपहर 12 बजे होते हैं, तब भारत में सुबह 11:45 बजे होते हैं। दोनों देशों में डेलाइट सेविंग टाइम नहीं है, इसलिए यह अंतर पूरे साल एक जैसा रहता है।
Nepal Compared With Its Neighbours
| Country | Time zone | Gap with India |
|---|---|---|
| — | — | — |
| Nepal | UTC+5:45 | 15 minutes ahead of India |
| India | UTC+5:30 | |
| Sri Lanka | UTC+5:30 | Same as India |
| Bangladesh | UTC+6 | 30 minutes ahead of India |
| Bhutan | UTC+6 | 30 minutes ahead of India |
| China (Tibet) | UTC+8 | 2 hours 30 minutes ahead of India |
For countries further away, see our guides to Singapore time to India time and Thailand time to India time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the time difference between Nepal and India?
Nepal is 15 minutes ahead of India all year. When it is 12 noon in Nepal, it is 11:45 AM in India.
Is Nepal time ahead of India?
Yes. Nepal Time is UTC+5:45 and India Standard Time is UTC+5:30, so Nepal is 15 minutes ahead.
How do I convert Nepal time to IST?
Subtract 15 minutes from Nepal time. For example, 6 PM in Kathmandu is 5:45 PM in India.
Why is Nepal time 15 minutes ahead of India?
Nepal sets its clock by a line of longitude near Mount Gaurishankar, east of the line India uses. That gives Nepal an offset of UTC+5:45, which it has used since 1986.
Does Nepal have daylight saving time?
No. Nepal stays on UTC+5:45 all year, so the 15 minute gap with India never changes.
Do Kathmandu and Pokhara have the same time?
Yes. All of Nepal uses one time zone, Nepal Time.
What is the weekly holiday in Nepal?
Saturday is the main weekly holiday in Nepal, and many offices are open on Sunday.
Will I get jet lag travelling from India to Nepal?
No. A 15 minute change is too small to cause jet lag. Early starts, long road journeys and altitude are what usually make travellers tired.
Keep Planning
- Use the live India to Nepal time converter for any date and time.
- Compare more countries on our travel tools page.
Sources
Last updated: 15 October 2026. Time zone rules can change, so check the live tool before an important booking.
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.
