Colombo to South Africa
-3h 30mColombo
ISTSOURCESouth Africa
SASTGreen rows indicate typical business hours (9 AM - 5 PM)
IST and SAST on the World Map
The map below highlights the IST (India Standard Time) and SAST (South Africa Standard Time) timezone regions across the globe.
IST – India Standard Time
UTC+05:30India Standard Time (IST) is the time zone for India and Sri Lanka, 5 hours and 30 minutes ahead of UTC.
- •India is 10 hours 30 minutes ahead of EST and 5 hours 30 minutes ahead of GMT.
- •India uses a single time zone despite spanning 30° of longitude.
- •IST is one of only a handful of time zones with a 30-minute offset.
- •IST is the most populous single time zone in the world with over 1.4 billion people.
- •The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and National Stock Exchange (NSE) operate on IST.
SAST – South Africa Standard Time
UTC+02:00South Africa Standard Time (SAST) is the time zone for South Africa and neighboring countries, 2 hours ahead of UTC.
- •South Africa does not observe daylight saving time.
- •SAST is the same offset as EET and Israel Standard Time.
- •The Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) is Africa's largest.
About Colombo
WikipediaColombo operates on Sri Lanka Time (SLST), UTC+5:30. Sharing India's timezone, Colombo is a key South Asian trade and tourism hub.
Sri Lanka Standard Time (SLST) uses UTC+5:30, same offset as India.
Everything You Need to Know About Colombo and South Africa Time
Colombo runs on India Standard Time (IST) at UTC+05:30. South Africa runs on South Africa Standard Time (SAST) at UTC+02:00. That puts Colombo 3 hours 30 minutes behind South Africa — a difference of -3h 30m at the current offsets.
In practice, when it is 9:00 AM in Colombo it is 5:30 AM in South Africa. Midnight in Colombo is 8:30 PM in South Africa. Neither zone observes daylight saving time, so the offset between them stays constant all year.
Colombo to South Africa time conversion table
| Colombo (IST) | South Africa (SAST) | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 12:00 AM | 8:30 PM | previous day |
| 6:00 AM | 2:30 AM | same day |
| 7:00 AM | 3:30 AM | same day |
| 8:00 AM | 4:30 AM | same day |
| 9:00 AM | 5:30 AM | same day |
| 12:00 PM | 8:30 AM | same day |
| 3:00 PM | 11:30 AM | same day |
| 5:00 PM | 1:30 PM | same day |
| 6:00 PM | 2:30 PM | same day |
| 9:00 PM | 5:30 PM | same day |
Why people convert Colombo to South Africa time
- Scheduling a call from Colombo to South Africa: a 10:00 AM start in Colombo lands at 6:30 AM in South Africa, so you can confirm the slot without doing the arithmetic yourself.
- Finding shared working hours: both Colombo and South Africa are inside the 9-to-5 working day between 12:30 PM and 5:00 PM IST time (9:00 AM–1:30 PM SAST). That is roughly 4 hours 30 minutes of usable overlap.
- Watching a live event or market open: Colombo viewers need 5:30 AM in South Africa to catch a 9:00 AM start there, and 3:30 AM if the event is anchored to Colombo.
- Always state the zone abbreviation, not just the hour. "3:00 PM IST" is unambiguous; "3 PM" across a -3h 30m gap is not.
- Block 12:30 PM–5:00 PM IST as the recurring meeting window if you work primarily from Colombo and need South Africa colleagues present.
About IST (India Standard Time)
India Standard Time (IST) is the time observed throughout India and Sri Lanka. It is based on the 82.5°E meridian, passing through Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh. India uses a single time zone despite spanning roughly 30° of longitude, which has been debated. IST does not observe daylight saving time. India is the world's most populous country, making IST one of the most-used time zones globally. The IT outsourcing industry and call centers operate primarily on IST, making the EST-to-IST conversion one of the most searched timezone conversions.
About SAST (South Africa Standard Time)
South Africa Standard Time (SAST) is used in South Africa, Lesotho, and Eswatini. SAST does not observe daylight saving time. Johannesburg and Cape Town are major economic hubs in Africa.
Best time to call between Colombo and South Africa
Both Colombo and South Africa sit inside the 9 AM – 5 PM working day between 12:30 PM–5:00 PM IST, which is 9:00 AM–1:30 PM SAST. That gives roughly 4 hours and 30 minutes of shared time — the safest window for a live call or meeting.
Business hours overlap
Colombo and South Africa overlap for about 4 hours during the working day — enough for meetings if you avoid the edges of the window.
Colombo is 3 hours 30 minutes behind South Africa (IST UTC+05:30 → SAST UTC+02:00). The shared working window is 12:30 PM–5:00 PM IST. Remember to re-check around daylight-saving transitions.
Learn More About Time
Dive deeper into the fascinating world of timekeeping, time zones, and how they shape our global society:
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the time difference between Colombo and South Africa?
Colombo (IST, UTC+05:30) is 3 hours 30 minutes behind South Africa (SAST, UTC+02:00). The gap is currently -3h 30m.
How do I convert Colombo time to South Africa time?
Add -3h 30m to Colombo local time. For example, 9:00 AM in Colombo is 5:30 AM in South Africa.
What time is it in South Africa right now?
South Africa uses SAST at UTC+02:00. Use the live converter at the top of this page — it updates in real time and already accounts for the -3h 30m offset from Colombo.
What is the best time to call South Africa from Colombo?
Call between 12:30 PM and 5:00 PM IST — that maps to 9:00 AM–1:30 PM SAST and keeps both parties inside the working day.
Which is behind, Colombo or South Africa?
Colombo is 3 hours 30 minutes behind South Africa. When it is 12:00 PM in Colombo it is 8:30 AM in South Africa.
Do Colombo and South Africa use different time zones?
Colombo (Sri Lanka) uses IST at UTC+05:30, while South Africa (South Africa) uses SAST at UTC+02:00. The IANA identifiers are Asia/Colombo and Africa/Johannesburg.
Does daylight saving time affect the Colombo–South Africa difference?
Neither zone observes daylight saving time, so the -3h 30m offset between Colombo and South Africa is fixed all year.
Which other cities share Colombo's time zone?
IST also covers Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Pune, Ahmedabad and 4 more.
Which countries use IST, Colombo's zone?
IST is used in India, Sri Lanka.
Is there a day difference between Colombo and South Africa?
Not normally. The -3h 30m gap only pushes the date over the previous day.
What is the time difference between Colombo and South Africa?
South Africa is -3h 30m from Colombo.
What timezone is Colombo in?
Colombo operates on Sri Lanka Time (SLST), UTC+5:30. Sharing India's timezone, Colombo is a key South Asian trade and tourism hub.
What timezone is South Africa in?
South Africa operates on its local timezone.
What are the business hours in Colombo?
Standard business hours in Colombo are 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM IST.
Which countries use IST (India Standard Time)?
IST is used in India, Sri Lanka.
Does IST observe daylight saving time?
No, IST does not observe daylight saving time and remains at UTC+05:30 year-round.
What are some interesting facts about IST?
India is 10 hours 30 minutes ahead of EST and 5 hours 30 minutes ahead of GMT. India uses a single time zone despite spanning 30° of longitude.
Which cities are in the SAST timezone?
Major cities in the SAST timezone include Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Pretoria, Port Elizabeth.
What is the UTC offset for SAST?
South Africa Standard Time (SAST) is at UTC+02:00.
What should I know about the SAST timezone?
South Africa does not observe daylight saving time. SAST is the same offset as EET and Israel Standard Time.
When is it midnight in Colombo, what time is it in South Africa?
When it is 12:00 AM (midnight) in Colombo (IST), it is -3h 30m later in South Africa (SAST).
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