India is a vast country, spanning over 3,000km (1,864 miles) from east to west and covering roughly 30 degrees of longitude. Despite its size, India has only one time zone – Indian Standard Time (IST). This is a legacy of British rule, and is thought of as a symbol of unity. But not everyone agrees that IST is the best solution for India.

The main argument against IST is that it does not accurately reflect the country’s geography. India is divided into four distinct time zones, and IST is only applicable to the westernmost zone. This means that people in the easternmost zone are effectively two and a half hours behind IST. This can lead to confusion and difficulty in coordinating activities across the country.

Another issue is that IST does not take into account seasonal changes in daylight hours. In the summer months, the sun rises and sets much earlier in the east than in the west. This means that people in the east are effectively three hours behind IST during the summer. This can cause problems for businesses and other organisations that need to coordinate activities across the country.

Finally, IST does not take into account the cultural and religious diversity of India. Different parts of the country have different customs and traditions, and many of these are based on local time. For example, in the east, many festivals and ceremonies are timed according to the local sunrise and sunset. This means that they do not always coincide with IST.

Despite these issues, IST remains the official time zone of India. It is seen as a symbol of unity and a reminder of the country’s colonial past. But for many people, it is an outdated system that does not accurately reflect the country’s geography, seasonal changes, or cultural diversity. It remains to be seen whether India will move to a more flexible system in the future.