What are the forex sessions right now in Indian time?
The converter below shows today's four global sessions in IST, adjusted for whatever daylight-saving rules apply this week. It runs in your browser, so it stays correct when the UK and US change their clocks.
What are the forex market timings in India?
Sydney opens the global week in the early hours of Monday, Tokyo runs through the Indian morning, London starts after lunch and New York in the evening. Each session moves by an hour with its own country's daylight saving; IST never does.
| Session | Local hours | IST, Nov–Mar | IST, Apr–Oct |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney | 07:00–16:00 | 01:30–10:30 | 02:30–11:30 |
| Tokyo | 09:00–18:00 | 05:30–14:30 | 05:30–14:30 |
| London | 08:00–17:00 | 13:30–22:30 | 12:30–21:30 |
| New York | 08:00–17:00 | 18:30–03:30 | 17:30–02:30 |
| London–New York overlap | NY 08:00–12:00 | 18:30–22:30 | 17:30–21:30 |
Global session hours are market conventions, not exchange rules; brokers may quote slightly different times. Sydney runs on daylight time from early October to early April, the opposite of Europe.
What are NSE currency and MCX trading hours?
On NSE, rupee pairs (USD-INR, EUR-INR, GBP-INR, JPY-INR) trade 09:00 to 17:00 IST and the cross-currency pairs (EUR-USD, GBP-USD, USD-JPY) until 19:30. MCX gold and other non-agri commodities trade from 09:00 until 23:30, or 23:55 when the US is on standard time.
| Market | What trades | Hours (IST, weekdays) |
|---|---|---|
| NSE currency derivatives | USD-INR, EUR-INR, GBP-INR, JPY-INR | 09:00–17:00 |
| NSE cross-currency | EUR-USD, GBP-USD, USD-JPY | 09:00–19:30 |
| MCX non-agri (incl. gold), from 2 Nov 2026 | Bullion, energy, base metals | 09:00–23:55 |
| MCX non-agri, from mid-March 2027 | Bullion, energy, base metals | 09:00–23:30 |
MCX moves its evening close with US daylight saving to keep the overlap with US markets, so it changes on the same dates as New York. Exchanges revise timings from time to time, so check the NSE and MCX websites for the current schedule and holidays.
Is forex trading legal in India?
For Indian residents, the RBI says permitted forex transactions must go through authorised persons, and electronic trading only on RBI-authorised platforms or recognised exchanges: NSE, BSE and MSE. The RBI keeps an Alert List of platforms that aren't authorised.
The RBI has warned that residents who trade on unauthorised platforms can face penalties under FEMA, and that its Alert List isn't exhaustive. A platform not being on the list doesn't make it authorised. Check the RBI's own lists of authorised persons and platforms, and talk to a qualified adviser about your situation. This page is about the clock; it isn't legal advice. Non-resident Indians and traders living abroad fall under the rules where they live.
What is the best time to trade forex from India?
For global pairs, the London and New York overlap: 18:30 to 22:30 IST in winter and 17:30 to 21:30 in summer, when liquidity is usually highest. India's time zone puts that whole window before midnight.
- London morning (13:30–18:30): a full afternoon session that overlaps NSE's cross-currency hours until 19:30.
- The overlap (18:30–22:30): the most movement and the US data releases, finished by 22:30 in winter.
- Tokyo (05:30–14:30): covers the Indian morning; JPY and AUD pairs move most.
That's one of the friendliest time zones in Asia for trading London and New York. How it compares with Dubai, Bangkok, Da Nang and Kuala Lumpur is in the best places in Asia to trade.
What time are NFP, CPI and FOMC in India?
US data such as NFP and CPI comes out at 19:00 IST in winter and 18:00 in summer. The FOMC statement lands at 00:30 IST in winter and 23:30 in summer.
| Event (source time) | IST, winter | IST, summer |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly open (Sun 17:00 NY) | Mon 03:30 | Mon 02:30 |
| London open (08:00 London) | 13:30 | 12:30 |
| LBMA Gold Price AM (10:30 London) | 16:00 | 15:00 |
| US data: NFP, CPI (08:30 NY) | 19:00 | 18:00 |
| US stock open (09:30 NY) | 20:00 | 19:00 |
| LBMA Gold Price PM (15:00 London) | 20:30 | 19:30 |
| London close (17:00 London) | 22:30 | 21:30 |
| FOMC statement (14:00 NY) | 00:30 | 23:30 |
| Gold daily break (17:00–18:00 NY) | 03:30–04:30 | 02:30–03:30 |
Every NFP date to April 2027 for India and the rest of Asia is in NFP time in Asia, and gold's full evening is in XAUUSD trading hours.
When do the session times change in 2026–27?
Four dates move your evening: the UK changes on 25 October 2026 and 28 March 2027, the US on 1 November 2026 and 14 March 2027. Between them, London and New York are out of step for a week or two.
| Period | London open | New York open | Overlap (IST) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26–30 Oct 2026 | 13:30 | 17:30 | 17:30–22:30 |
| 2 Nov 2026 – 12 Mar 2027 | 13:30 | 18:30 | 18:30–22:30 |
| 15–26 Mar 2027 | 13:30 | 17:30 | 17:30–22:30 |
| 29 Mar – 29 Oct 2027 | 12:30 | 17:30 | 17:30–21:30 |
MCX's evening close follows the US dates too: 23:55 from 2 November, back to 23:30 from mid-March. Set global alerts in New York or London time and they'll stay right. More on this autumn's change in US clocks go back on 1 November.
Is it worth trading from somewhere else in Asia?
Only if the trip gives you something India doesn't. IST already has one of the best schedules in Asia; moving east to UTC+7 shifts everything 90 minutes later, so it suits traders who want long free mornings rather than earlier nights.
In Vietnam, London opens at 15:00 and the overlap runs until midnight in winter, so the trade is a later night for a full morning on the beach. Our Vietnam session guide has the same tables in UTC+7, the e-visa guide covers entry for Indian passports, and trading from Vietnam covers internet and power.
FAQ
What are the forex market timings in India?
In IST, the global forex week opens at 03:30 on Monday in winter (02:30 in summer). London trades 13:30 to 22:30 and New York 18:30 to 03:30 from November to March, an hour earlier for most of the rest of the year. India's NSE currency derivatives trade 09:00 to 17:00, with cross-currency pairs until 19:30.
What time does the London session open in India?
13:30 IST from late October to late March, and 12:30 IST from late March to late October, when the UK is on summer time. India does not change its clocks.
What time does the New York session open in India?
18:30 IST from early November to mid-March, and 17:30 IST from mid-March to early November. From Monday 2 November 2026 it opens at 18:30.
What is the best time to trade forex in India?
For global pairs, the London and New York overlap, 18:30 to 22:30 IST in winter and 17:30 to 21:30 in summer, usually has the most liquidity. On Indian exchanges, cross-currency futures trade until 19:30 IST, which covers the start of that overlap.
What time is NFP in India?
19:00 IST from November to mid-March and 18:00 IST in summer, because US data is released at 08:30 New York time. The FOMC statement comes at 00:30 IST in winter and 23:30 in summer.
Is forex trading legal in India?
For residents, the RBI says permitted forex transactions must go through authorised persons, and electronic trading only on RBI-authorised platforms or recognised exchanges such as NSE, BSE and MSE. The RBI publishes an Alert List of unauthorised platforms. Check RBI guidance or a qualified adviser for your situation.
The bottom line
In IST, London is 13:30 and New York 18:30 all winter, an hour earlier in summer, and the overlap is done by 22:30. At home, NSE cross pairs trade until 19:30 and MCX gold until 23:55 in winter. Bookmark this page: the converter at the top always shows this week's times.
Next: every NFP date to April 2027, or prop firm rules when trading abroad.
Session times are conventions and exchange hours can change; check NSE, MCX and RBI sources. Nothing here is financial or legal advice. We sell travel, not signals.