CET to IST: 2026 Time Converter & Meeting Times
CET is Central European Time (UTC+1/+2) and IST is India Standard Time (UTC+5:30). Below is a live conversion with real-time clocks using Paris and Mumbai as representative cities. DST rules are applied automatically using IANA time zone data.
CET
Central European Time (UTC+1/+2)
IST
India Standard Time (UTC+5:30)
DST
Live auto-detect
Understanding CET and IST in 2026
Time zone abbreviations like CET and IST are handy shorthand, but they hide a trap: several regions reuse the same letters, and many switch their underlying offset twice a year for daylight saving. CET maps to Central European Time and IST maps to India Standard Time here. Rather than memorising raw offsets, check the live conversion above -- it uses today's date and the IANA time zone database, so you never get it wrong.
For meetings with three or more locations, drop the cities into the meeting planner, which computes the live overlap with daylight saving baked in for every city at once.
Frequently Asked Questions: CET to IST
What is the time difference between CET and IST in 2026?
IST (India Standard Time, UTC+5:30) and CET (Central European Time, UTC+1/+2) are in different time zones. The exact gap is shown live above using IANA time zone data. Where a time zone observes daylight saving, the gap shifts by 1 hour seasonally -- this tool always uses the current rule.
When it's 9:00 AM CET, what time is it in IST?
Check the live hourly conversion table above. Because CET and IST may each observe DST on different schedules, the conversion depends on the current date. The green rows show when IST is in working hours.
What does CET stand for?
CET stands for Central European Time, with a UTC offset of UTC+1/+2. IST stands for India Standard Time, with a UTC offset of UTC+5:30. Note that some abbreviations like CST are reused across regions (China Standard Time vs Central Standard Time) -- always check the full time zone name to avoid confusion.
Is CET the same year-round?
No. CET (Central European Time) changes between standard and daylight time. The standard offset is UTC+1 and the daylight offset is +2.
Is IST the same year-round?
Yes. IST (India Standard Time) stays at UTC+5:30 year-round with no daylight saving adjustments.
What cities use CET and IST?
CET (Central European Time) includes Paris, France. IST (India Standard Time) includes Mumbai, India. Use the interactive meeting planner to add specific cities.
How do I convert between CET and IST for recurring meetings?
Bookmark this page and check it at the start of each season. Because at least one of these time zones observes DST, the conversion may shift by 1 hour during DST transitions. The live table above always uses the current date so you see the correct conversion.