India is less a single destination than a collection of very different ones: Mughal monuments and desert forts in the north, the Himalaya along the northern edge, the beaches of Goa and the backwaters of Kerala in the south, and huge cities in between. The whole country runs on one clock, half an hour off the hour, and the year is shaped by the monsoon.
India for visitors
Many first trips follow the "Golden Triangle" in the north: Delhi, with the capital New Delhi at its heart, then the Taj Mahal in Agra and the forts and palaces of Jaipur. From there, Rajasthan opens up: the lake city of Udaipur, the blue houses of Jodhpur and the desert fort of Jaisalmer near the Thar Desert. Varanasi, on the Ganges, is one of the holiest cities in Hinduism, where pilgrims bathe at the riverside ghats at dawn.
The west and south
Mumbai, on the west coast, is India's commercial capital, with colonial architecture, a long seafront and a huge film industry. Goa, further south, is known for beaches, old Portuguese churches and a relaxed pace. Kerala, at the southern tip, offers houseboat trips on the backwaters, tea and spice plantations in the hills, and a long coastline. Inland, the ruins of Hampi and the temple towns of Tamil Nadu are high on many lists.
The Himalaya and the north-east
In the far north, hill towns such as Shimla, Manali and Rishikesh, and further east Darjeeling and Sikkim, are the gateways to trekking, mountain views and cooler summers. The north-east, with its tea gardens and forested hills, sees fewer foreign visitors.
Getting around
Distances are large, and travel takes time. The rail network covers almost the whole country, and overnight trains are a classic way to travel; book ahead, as popular routes fill up. Domestic flights save days on long journeys, for example from Delhi to Kerala or Goa. Many visitors hire a car with a driver rather than driving themselves, and in cities, auto-rickshaws and ride-hailing apps are the usual way to get around.
Time in India
India has one time zone, India Standard Time, Asia/Kolkata in the IANA database. It is UTC+5:30 all year: the country does not use daylight saving time, so the clocks never change.
The half hour comes from where the clock is set: India Standard Time is based on a meridian close to the middle of the country, which falls halfway between those of the whole-hour zones. Because a single clock covers a very wide country, the sun rises much earlier by the clock in the north-east than in the far west, and sunsets in Gujarat come late. Our post on fractional time zones explains why a few countries use half-hour and quarter-hour offsets.
Right now New Delhi and Mumbai are 5 hours 30 minutes ahead of London, 1 hour 30 minutes ahead of Dubai and 2 hours 30 minutes behind Singapore. Neighbouring Nepal's clock differs from India's by a fraction of an hour, so check the Nepal guide if you are crossing the border. Because India doesn't change its clocks, the gap with Europe and North America changes by an hour twice a year when they switch to and from summer time.
The half-hour offset trips up calendar invites: make sure meeting times show the :30. For calls home, the Indian afternoon meets the European morning, while only the Indian evening reaches the start of the working day on the US East Coast.
Climate and weather
India's weather follows the monsoon, and the year is usually divided into four seasons: a cool, dry winter from about December to February, a hot pre-monsoon season from March to May, the south-west monsoon from June to September, and a post-monsoon season in October and November.
The details change a lot by region. The northern plains, around Delhi, Agra and Varanasi, have cool winters with foggy mornings and chilly nights, then fierce dry heat before the monsoon. Rajasthan is largely desert or semi-desert, hot for much of the year and very dry. The south and the coasts are tropical, warm all year, with less difference between winter and summer. The Himalaya has an alpine climate, with snow on the higher roads and passes in winter.
The monsoon arrives first in Kerala, at the southern tip, and spreads north across the country over several weeks, bringing most of the year's rain. The west coast and the north-east get the heaviest rain. The south-east coast, including Tamil Nadu, is different: much of its rain comes later in the year, from the north-east monsoon. Cyclones can form over the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea, mostly around the start and end of the monsoon.
Mumbai shows the pattern at its clearest. Average highs there stay between 30°C and 34°C all year, but the city gets about 2,502 mm of rain, almost all of it in the four monsoon months. July is Mumbai's wettest month, with about 920 mm.
- Mumbai
Show the numbers
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mumbai | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 7.3 | 526 | 920 | 561 | 384 | 91 | 11 | 1.6 |
Pre-monsoon heat in the northern plains and Rajasthan can be extreme; our guide to preparing for extreme heat covers how to plan around it.
Best time to visit India
For most of the country, the cool, dry months from October to March are the best time to travel: comfortable days in the north and in Rajasthan, and beach weather in Goa and Kerala. December and January are the coolest months in the north, with cold nights and morning fog that can delay trains and flights. This is also the busiest season for foreign visitors, so book popular hotels and trains early.
The Himalaya works the other way round. The hill towns and trekking routes are at their best from late spring into early summer and again after the monsoon, in autumn, while winter closes many high roads and passes. Kerala is pleasant in the post-monsoon and winter months, and some visitors choose the monsoon itself, when the hills are green and Ayurvedic treatments are traditionally taken.
The pre-monsoon months are very hot in the plains, and the monsoon brings heavy rain, flooding and disrupted transport in many areas. Many wildlife parks close or limit access during the monsoon and are best visited in the dry months.
Festivals follow the Hindu lunisolar calendar, so their dates move each year: Diwali, the festival of lights, usually falls in October or November, and Holi, the festival of colours, in late winter or early spring. Both are memorable times to be in India, and both are busy.
Practical facts
- Capital: New Delhi.
- Population: about 1.44 billion (UN World Population Prospects 2024, 2023 estimate).
- Currency: Indian rupee (INR). Mobile payments by QR code are widespread, cards work in hotels, larger shops and restaurants in the cities, and cash is still needed for markets, rickshaws and small towns.
- Languages: Hindi and English are used by the central government, and each state has its own official language or languages, such as Bengali, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu or Malayalam. English is widely understood in hotels, tourist areas and business, and road and railway signs often use it.
- Calling code: +91.
- Tipping: customary. A small tip is usual in restaurants where service isn't included, and for drivers, guides and hotel staff.
- Driving: on the left. Traffic is dense and unpredictable, which is why most visitors hire a driver.
- Customs: dress modestly at temples, mosques and other religious sites, and take off your shoes before entering.
- Emergency number: 112, for police, fire and ambulance ([1]).
Plan your trip with hoyoopin
- Mumbai city guide: the monsoon month by month, the pre-monsoon heat and "October heat", the best time to visit, what to pack and how India Standard Time works.
- World Clock: India Standard Time next to your own and other cities.
- Weather: live conditions and the forecast for Delhi, Jaipur, Goa or any other city in India.
- Asia: time zones and key facts for every country on the continent.
- Further reading: the countries with the most monsoon rain.
Frequently asked questions
What time zone is India in?
India uses India Standard Time, UTC+5:30, all year, with the IANA identifier Asia/Kolkata.
How many time zones does India have?
One. The whole country, from the western desert to the far north-east, runs on India Standard Time.
Does India have daylight saving time?
No. India's clocks stay the same all year, so any change in the time difference with another country comes from that country changing its clocks.
When is the monsoon in India?
The south-west monsoon usually reaches Kerala in early summer and covers most of the country from June to September. The south-east coast gets much of its rain later, in the autumn and early winter.
What is the best time to visit India?
October to March for most of the country, including Rajasthan, the Golden Triangle, Goa and Kerala. For the Himalaya, late spring, early summer and autumn are better.
Which side of the road do they drive on in India?
On the left.
Sources
- GOV.UK: India, getting help: 112 for ambulance, fire and police.