Forex Market Hours in India (IST)
The forex market opens for the week on Monday at 02:30 IST and closes on Saturday at 02:30 IST while New York is on daylight saving time, one hour later (03:30 IST) from early November to mid-March. India does not change its clocks: the open and close move with US daylight saving time, the London session with the UK's. The busiest hours, the London–New York overlap, fall in the Indian evening.
Time in IST: –
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| Session | Time in IST | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Sydney | 07:00–16:00 local | – |
| Tokyo | 09:00–18:00 local | – |
| London | 08:00–17:00 local | – |
| New York | 08:00–17:00 local | – |
Forex session times in IST
India Standard Time is UTC+5:30 all year. The financial centres that define the sessions change their clocks on different dates, so the session times in IST move during the year:
| Period | Sydney | Tokyo | London | New York | London–New York overlap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Late March to late October New York and London on summer time | 02:30–11:30 | 05:30–14:30 | 12:30–21:30 | 17:30–02:30 | 17:30–21:30 |
| Early November to mid-March New York and London on standard time | 01:30–10:30 | 05:30–14:30 | 13:30–22:30 | 18:30–03:30 | 18:30–22:30 |
| Mid to late March, late October to early November New York on summer time, London on standard time | 01:30–10:30 | 05:30–14:30 | 13:30–22:30 | 17:30–02:30 | 17:30–22:30 |
All times in IST, Monday to Friday, using the conventional session hours. On Mondays the Sydney session effectively starts at the weekly open, which can be later than the time shown. Sydney's times move by one hour on its own daylight saving dates (first Sunday of April and of October), so from late March to early April and in October the Sydney column can differ by an hour from the row shown.
Best time to trade forex in India
These are the hours of the global over-the-counter market. As of October 2026, the RBI permits residents to trade forex only with authorised persons, on RBI-authorised platforms or on recognised exchanges (NSE, BSE, MSE), whose hours are shown below.
For major pairs such as EUR/USD and GBP/USD, trading activity and liquidity are usually highest when London and New York are both open: in the Indian evening, from about 17:30 or 18:30 IST until the London close. Spreads are typically tightest then and price moves are often larger. The Asian morning (Tokyo, from 05:30 IST) is usually quieter for European pairs and more active for JPY and AUD pairs.
The daily rollover, when swaps are charged or paid on positions held overnight, happens at 5:00 PM New York time: 02:30 IST or 03:30 IST, depending on the season. Spreads often widen for a short time around it:what is a swap in forex.
Currency trading hours on Indian exchanges
The sessions above describe the global over-the-counter market. Exchange-traded currency derivatives in India follow the exchange's own hours: on NSE, rupee-pair futures and options trade from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM IST, Monday to Friday (NSE contract specifications, checked October 2026). This is the route the RBI permits for residents:is forex trading legal in India.
Frequently asked questions
What time does the forex market open in India?
Monday 02:30 IST from mid-March to early November, while New York is on daylight saving time, and Monday 03:30 IST the rest of the year. That is 5:00 PM on Sunday in New York, when the trading week starts in Sydney and Wellington.
What time does the forex market close in India?
Saturday 02:30 IST from mid-March to early November and Saturday 03:30 IST the rest of the year, which is 5:00 PM on Friday in New York.
What is the best time to trade forex in India?
Liquidity on major pairs is usually highest during the London–New York overlap: about 17:30 to 21:30 IST from late March to late October and 18:30 to 22:30 IST from early November to mid-March. Spreads are typically tightest then; it is not a time that makes trades more likely to win. For two to three weeks in March and in late October the overlap runs from 17:30 to 22:30 IST.
What is the London session time in India?
About 12:30 to 21:30 IST from late March to late October, and 13:30 to 22:30 IST from late October to late March.
Is the forex market open on Saturday in India?
Only until the weekly close in the early hours of Saturday (02:30 or 03:30 IST). It reopens early on Monday morning IST.
What are currency derivatives trading hours on NSE?
As of October 2026, rupee-pair currency futures and options on NSE trade from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM IST, Monday to Friday. NSE pages give conflicting closing times for cross-currency contracts (5:00 PM and 7:30 PM IST), so check with the exchange before trading them.
Learn more
- Forex market hours in your time zone
The same live clock in any time zone.
- Is forex trading legal in India?
RBI rules and the legal exchange route.
- What is forex?
How the 24-hour currency market works.
- What is a spread in forex?
Why spreads widen at the open and around news.
- What is a swap in forex?
The daily rollover at 5 PM New York time.
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- Forex Market Hours in Pakistan (PKT)
Live session clock and forex market open and close times in Pakistan Standard Time.
- Forex Market Hours in Nigeria (WAT)
Live session clock and forex market open and close times in West Africa Time.
- Forex Market Hours in South Africa (SAST)
Live session clock and forex market open and close times in South African Standard Time.
Results are estimates for educational purposes and exclude spreads, commissions and swaps unless stated. Always confirm figures with your broker before trading.