GST to IST: Gulf Standard Time Converter and Hour Table
Quick answer: GST here means Gulf Standard Time, used in the UAE (Dubai, Abu Dhabi) and Oman. India is 1 hour 30 minutes ahead of GST, all year. To change GST to IST, add 1 hour 30 minutes. To change IST to GST, subtract 1 hour 30 minutes. For example, 6:00 PM GST is 7:30 PM IST, and 12:30 PM GST is 2:00 PM IST. Neither side changes its clocks, so this gap never moves.
People search for this in many forms: 6pm GST to IST, 4pm GST to IST, 12:30 pm GST to IST, GST time to IST and IST to GST. The answer is always the same 1 hour 30 minutes, so the quickest way to help you is a full hour-by-hour table. This guide gives you that table both ways, the simple rule, what GST means (and what it does not mean), how the Gulf countries compare with India, and a few real situations such as calls, offices and flights. The gap is calculated from the IANA time zone database that phones and computers use. Last updated 11 October 2026.
Key takeaways
- GST (Gulf Standard Time) is UTC+4. IST (Indian Standard Time) is UTC+5:30.
- India is 1 hour 30 minutes ahead of GST. GST is 1 hour 30 minutes behind IST.
- GST to IST: add 1 hour 30 minutes. IST to GST: subtract 1 hour 30 minutes.
- Neither the UAE nor India uses daylight saving, so the gap is the same every day of the year.
- Late GST evenings fall after midnight in India. 10:30 PM GST is 12:00 midnight IST.
- Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait are on a different time, 1 hour behind the UAE. Their gap from India is 2 hours 30 minutes.
What does GST mean?
In time zone searches, GST stands for Gulf Standard Time, which is UTC+4. It is the clock of the United Arab Emirates and Oman. It has nothing to do with GST the tax in India (Goods and Services Tax), even though the letters match. If you mean the time zone, this guide is the right one. Some websites also use GST for other time zones, so when you book a call with someone, write the city (Dubai or Muscat) along with the time to avoid mistakes.
How to convert GST to IST
There are only two steps.
- Add 1 hour 30 minutes to the GST time to get Indian time. Subtract 1 hour 30 minutes to go from IST to GST.
- Check the date. If the answer passes midnight, the date moves forward by one day (GST to IST), or back by one day (IST to GST).
A quick mental trick: add one hour, then add half an hour. For 4:00 PM GST, 5:00 PM plus half an hour is 5:30 PM IST. Another way is through UTC. GST is UTC+4 and IST is UTC+5:30, and the difference between 5:30 and 4:00 is 1 hour 30 minutes.
GST to IST conversion table (every hour)
Use this table for any hour of the day, such as 6pm GST to IST or 12pm GST to IST.
| GST (Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Muscat) | IST (India) |
|---|---|
| 12:00 AM | 1:30 AM |
| 1:00 AM | 2:30 AM |
| 2:00 AM | 3:30 AM |
| 3:00 AM | 4:30 AM |
| 4:00 AM | 5:30 AM |
| 5:00 AM | 6:30 AM |
| 6:00 AM | 7:30 AM |
| 7:00 AM | 8:30 AM |
| 8:00 AM | 9:30 AM |
| 9:00 AM | 10:30 AM |
| 10:00 AM | 11:30 AM |
| 11:00 AM | 12:30 PM |
| 12:00 PM | 1:30 PM |
| 1:00 PM | 2:30 PM |
| 2:00 PM | 3:30 PM |
| 3:00 PM | 4:30 PM |
| 4:00 PM | 5:30 PM |
| 5:00 PM | 6:30 PM |
| 6:00 PM | 7:30 PM |
| 7:00 PM | 8:30 PM |
| 8:00 PM | 9:30 PM |
| 9:00 PM | 10:30 PM |
| 10:00 PM | 11:30 PM |
| 11:00 PM | 12:30 AM (next day) |
IST to GST conversion table (every hour)
Use this table when you start from Indian time.
| IST (India) | GST (Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Muscat) |
|---|---|
| 12:00 AM | 10:30 PM (previous day) |
| 1:00 AM | 11:30 PM (previous day) |
| 2:00 AM | 12:30 AM |
| 3:00 AM | 1:30 AM |
| 4:00 AM | 2:30 AM |
| 5:00 AM | 3:30 AM |
| 6:00 AM | 4:30 AM |
| 7:00 AM | 5:30 AM |
| 8:00 AM | 6:30 AM |
| 9:00 AM | 7:30 AM |
| 10:00 AM | 8:30 AM |
| 11:00 AM | 9:30 AM |
| 12:00 PM | 10:30 AM |
| 1:00 PM | 11:30 AM |
| 2:00 PM | 12:30 PM |
| 3:00 PM | 1:30 PM |
| 4:00 PM | 2:30 PM |
| 5:00 PM | 3:30 PM |
| 6:00 PM | 4:30 PM |
| 7:00 PM | 5:30 PM |
| 8:00 PM | 6:30 PM |
| 9:00 PM | 7:30 PM |
| 10:00 PM | 8:30 PM |
| 11:00 PM | 9:30 PM |
Popular GST to IST conversions
These are the times people search for most.
- 12:00 PM GST is 1:30 PM IST
- 12:30 PM GST is 2:00 PM IST
- 2:00 PM GST is 3:30 PM IST
- 3:00 PM GST is 4:30 PM IST
- 4:00 PM GST is 5:30 PM IST
- 5:00 PM GST is 6:30 PM IST
- 6:00 PM GST is 7:30 PM IST
- 7:00 PM GST is 8:30 PM IST
- 8:00 PM GST is 9:30 PM IST
- 9:00 PM GST is 10:30 PM IST
Worked examples, including date changes
- 6:00 PM GST to IST: 6:00 PM plus 1 hour 30 minutes is 7:30 PM IST, same day.
- 12:30 PM GST to IST: 12:30 PM plus 1 hour 30 minutes is 2:00 PM IST, same day.
- Date change, GST to IST: 11:00 PM Monday in Dubai is 12:30 AM Tuesday in India.
- Date change, IST to GST: 12:30 AM Tuesday in India is 11:00 PM Monday in Dubai.
- 8:00 AM IST to GST: 8:00 AM minus 1 hour 30 minutes is 6:30 AM in Dubai, same day.
Gulf countries compared with India
GST covers the UAE and Oman. Other Gulf countries use Arabia Standard Time, which is one hour behind GST. None of them change their clocks.
| Country (main city) | Time zone | UTC offset | India is ahead by |
|---|---|---|---|
| UAE (Dubai, Abu Dhabi) | Gulf Standard Time (GST) | UTC+4 | 1 h 30 min |
| Oman (Muscat) | Gulf Standard Time (GST) | UTC+4 | 1 h 30 min |
| Armenia (Yerevan) | Armenia Time | UTC+4 | 1 h 30 min |
| Azerbaijan (Baku) | Azerbaijan Time | UTC+4 | 1 h 30 min |
| Saudi Arabia (Riyadh) | Arabia Standard Time | UTC+3 | 2 h 30 min |
| Qatar (Doha) | Arabia Standard Time | UTC+3 | 2 h 30 min |
| Kuwait (Kuwait City) | Arabia Standard Time | UTC+3 | 2 h 30 min |
| Bahrain (Manama) | Arabia Standard Time | UTC+3 | 2 h 30 min |
So if someone says Gulf time, check which country they mean. A 6:00 PM call in Dubai is 6:00 PM GST, but the same moment is 5:00 PM in Riyadh.
Best times to call between India and the UAE
The gap is small, so most of the day works. The table shows the hours when it is between 8:00 AM and 9:30 PM on both sides.
| Place | GST time | IST time |
|---|---|---|
| Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Muscat (all year) | 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM | 9:30 AM to 9:30 PM |
Because the UAE is only 1 hour 30 minutes behind, you can call at almost any polite hour in India. Late-night calls need care: 9:00 PM in India is only 7:30 PM in Dubai, while 11:00 PM in India is 9:30 PM in Dubai. For a full plan for relatives, see our guide on the best time to call family abroad from India.
A sample working day for a UAE and India team
Suppose the UAE office works 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM and the Indian office works 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM. The shared hours are 10:30 AM to 7:00 PM in India, which is 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM in the UAE. That is 8 hours 30 minutes of overlap, all year round, and it never changes because neither country moves its clocks. If you also work with the UK or USA, remember that those clocks do change, and the gap will move by one hour at a time. See our guides on the UK to India time difference and how to calculate the time difference between India and the USA.
Real-life situations where the conversion matters
Flights between India and the UAE
Flight tickets show local time at each airport. A flight that lands in Dubai at 6:00 PM GST lands at 7:30 PM by Indian clocks, so a family member waiting in India will think of it as the evening. Use the tables above to convert before you plan pick-ups.
Interviews and work meetings
Write the time in both zones, for example 3:00 PM GST / 4:30 PM IST. In your calendar app, pick the city (Dubai) instead of a short code, so the invite converts correctly. This also avoids confusion with GST the tax.
Deadlines and events
A deadline of 11:59 PM GST is 1:29 AM the next day in India. An event that starts at 8:00 PM GST in Dubai starts at 9:30 PM IST.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Confusing GST the time zone with GST the Indian tax. Always write Gulf Standard Time or the city name.
- Saying GST is ahead of IST. India is ahead, and GST is behind by 1 hour 30 minutes.
- Treating all Gulf countries as one time. Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait are one hour behind the UAE.
- Forgetting the date change after 10:30 PM GST, when it is already past midnight in India.
- Expecting a summer and winter change. The UAE and India do not use daylight saving, so the gap is fixed.
Check the live gap
Want a live answer for any city? Use our free India–UAE time difference tool, which uses the same time zone data as this guide. All our calculators are on the tools page. Planning a trip to Dubai or Abu Dhabi? See our first-time international travel tips.
Frequently asked questions
What is the time difference between GST and IST?
India is 1 hour 30 minutes ahead of Gulf Standard Time. GST is UTC+4 and IST is UTC+5:30, and neither changes its clocks, so the gap is the same all year.
What is 6 PM GST in IST?
6:00 PM GST is 7:30 PM IST on the same day.
What is 12:30 PM GST in IST?
12:30 PM GST is 2:00 PM IST on the same day.
What is 9 AM IST in GST?
9:00 AM IST is 7:30 AM GST in Dubai or Muscat, on the same day.
Is GST ahead of or behind IST?
GST is behind IST by 1 hour 30 minutes. When it is noon in Dubai, it is 1:30 PM in India.
Does the UAE change its clocks for daylight saving?
No. The UAE stays on Gulf Standard Time all year, and India stays on IST, so the gap never changes.
Does Oman use the same time as the UAE?
Yes. Oman also uses Gulf Standard Time (UTC+4), so the gap from India is the same.
What is the time difference between India and Saudi Arabia?
Saudi Arabia uses Arabia Standard Time (UTC+3), so India is 2 hours 30 minutes ahead. Saudi Arabia is one hour behind the UAE.
Sources and how we checked
- Wikipedia: Gulf Standard Time
- Wikipedia: Time in the United Arab Emirates
- Wikipedia: Indian Standard Time
The conversions in this guide are calculated from the 2026 release of the IANA time zone database. This guide is general information. For visa, flight or legal deadlines, always use the official source. Last updated 11 October 2026.
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.
