India’s remarkable diversity is reflected not only in its languages, cultures and geographies, but also in the way daylight is distributed across the country. From Arunachal Pradesh, where the sun rises as early as 4 am in summer, to Gujarat, where sunrise is much later, the gap is nearly two hours. Yet, India continues to operate under a single time zone — Indian Standard Time (IST).

This uniformity, while administratively convenient, masks a deeper inefficiency that disproportionately affects the eastern region of the country. At a time when India is striving for balanced regional development, the case for introducing two time zones is not merely a matter of convenience but also of economic necessity.

Eastern India bears economic burden

Eastern India — comprising the Northeast, West Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand and Bihar — has historically lagged behind western and southern states in industrialisation, income levels and infrastructure development. While multiple structural factors contribute to this imbalance, the role of time misalignment is an under-appreciated yet significant dimension.

Under IST, large parts of eastern India experience daylight hours that are poorly aligned with official working schedules. Mornings begin much earlier, but institutional activity — schools, offices and markets — does not. As a result, valuable daylight hours are lost. Conversely, the day ends early, leading to a premature sunset that compresses productive hours and increases reliance on artificial lighting.

This misalignment translates into tangible economic costs. Industries, especially those dependent on natural light — such as agriculture, tea plantations, small manufacturing units and construction — operate below optimal efficiency. Early sunset reduces the effective working window, while the unused morning hours represent lost economic opportunities.

Biological impact on productivity

Beyond economics,........

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