How November Time Change Impacts Meetings Between India and the USA

In the fall, on the first Sunday of November, most Americans "gain an hour." If you work with Americans from India, your meeting times will be moved ahead for one hour. Although your US client will be meeting you at 9am EST before or after the end of daylight saving time, you will feel a time change as the clocks don't change in India.

For instance, if you normally meet your US client at 6:30pm IST, after "fall back," you will be meeting that same client at 7:30pm. For a clearer picture, the below details examples of the time change in each US continental time zone compared against the static time in India.

(Note, below Daylight Saving Time is abbreviated as DST.)

Example: EST (Eastern Time Zone) to IST (Indian Standard Time)

Example Cities: New York, Boston, Washington D.C., Atlanta

Time Period ---> US Time (EST) ---> India Time ---> Time Difference
During DST ---> 9am ---> 6:30pm ---> +9.5 hours

End of DST ---> 9am ---> 7:30pm ---> +10.5 hours

*Take note, some parts of Indiana do not change their time.

Example: CST (Central Time Zone) to IST (Indian Standard Time)

Example Cities: Chicago, Dallas, Minneapolis, Kansas City

Time Period ---> US Time (CST) ---> India Time ---> Time Difference
During DST ---> 9am ---> 7:30pm ---> +9.5 hours

End of DST ---> 9am ---> 8:30pm ---> +10.5 hours

Example: MST (Mountain Time Zone) to IST (Indian Standard Time)

Example Cities: Denver, Salt Lake City, Phoenix*

Time Period ---> US Time (MST) ---> India Time ---> Time Difference
During DST ---> 9am ---> 8:30pm ---> +9.5 hours

End of DST ---> 9am ---> 9:30pm ---> +10.5 hours

*Some areas of Arizona do not change clocks for daylight savings time. Native American reservation areas do change their clocks for daylight saving time.

Example: PST (Pacific Time Zone) to IST (Indian Standard Time)

Example Cities: Los Angeles, Seattle, Las Vegas, Portland

Time Period ---> US Time (PST) ---> India Time ---> Time Difference
During DST ---> 9am ---> 9:30pm ---> +9.5 hours

End of DST ---> 9am ---> 10:30pm ---> +10.5 hours

How Do I Know I Have the Right Time?

Use your computer
Set two (or more clocks) on your computer tuned to the times of the locations where the meetings are taking place.
Timeanddate.com
I often use this website to find suitable meeting times for my international clients.
Use Google
Type "Time in (City Name)" into Google Search to find the current time. For example, here is the search for "Time in New York."
Computer Calendar Set the time zones in your e-mail program appropriately. Especially when the US side sets the meeting and sends you a reminder, it should come to your inbox or be listed on your calendar in your local time.

When is Fall Back?
Clocks are turned back one hour on the first Sunday of November. Here are the dates for the next few years:
When in November 2022 do Americans turn the clock back one hour? Nov. 5, 20122
What date do we switch the clocks in Fall 2021? Nov. 7, 2021
When does Daylight Saving Time end in 2020? Nov. 1, 2020
When do we turn the clocks back in 2019? Nov. 3, 2019
When is fall back in 2018? Nov. 4, 2018

Need Help Coordinating Meetings?Author, Jennifer Kumar works with your virtual teams to improve communication, productivity, cultural understanding and project management across global borders. Contact us for more information.