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Why are clocks in India thirty minutes off?2024 Oct 25
Non-integer timezones aren't unheard of, but all of India being on India Standard Time five-and-a-half hours ahead of UTC is certainly the largest example. How this happened is steeped, apparently, in the history of Britain's colonial past, the East India Company which dominated affairs on the subcontinent during the dawn of timezones, and the railroads which dominated affairs in the East India Company's administration. Why India has stayed on this unusual timezone, well, that's because it's become something of a national pride. There was a proposal recently to add a second timezone to India, however. It stemmed from those in India's far east having clocks that don't closely match the rise and fall of the sun. The proposed solution was to introduce a second timezone which was UTC+6.5.
Non-integer timezones aren't unheard of, but all of India being on India Standard Time five-and-a-half hours ahead of UTC is certainly the largest example. How this happened is steeped, apparently, in the history of Britain's colonial past, the East India Company which dominated affairs on the subcontinent during the dawn of timezones, and the railroads which dominated affairs in the East India Company's administration. Why India has stayed on this unusual timezone, well, that's because it's become something of a national pride. There was a proposal recently to add a second timezone to India, however. It stemmed from those in India's far east having clocks that don't closely match the rise and fall of the sun. The proposed solution was to introduce a second timezone which was UTC+6.5.
It was shot down for "strategic reasons."