Does it handle Daylight Saving Time?

Yes, the tool automatically adjusts for Daylight Saving Time based on the specific date you select, ensuring accurate conversions year-round.

Can I add multiple cities?

Yes, you can add as many cities as you need to the dashboard to compare times across your entire global network simultaneously.

Colombo to United Arab Emirates

-1h 30m

Colombo

ISTSOURCE

Sri Lanka · UTC+05:30

HH12

MM00

12:00 (24-hr)

12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM12 AM

United Arab Emirates

GST

UTC+04:00

HH10

MM30

10:30 (24-hr)

12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM12 AM

Quick Reference

Time Conversion Table

Colombo

United Arab Emirates

12:00 AM

10:30 PM-1

2:00 AM

12:30 AM

4:00 AM

2:30 AM

6:00 AM

4:30 AM

8:00 AM

6:30 AM

10:00 AM

8:30 AM

12:00 PM

10:30 AM

2:00 PM

12:30 PM

4:00 PM

2:30 PM

6:00 PM

4:30 PM

8:00 PM

6:30 PM

10:00 PM

8:30 PM

Green rows indicate typical business hours (9 AM - 5 PM)

IST and GST on the World Map

The map below highlights the IST (India Standard Time) and GST (Gulf Standard Time) timezone regions across the globe.

IST Zone

→

GST Zone

Explore all world timezones interactively →

IST – India Standard Time

UTC+05:30

India Standard Time (IST) is the time zone for India and Sri Lanka, 5 hours and 30 minutes ahead of UTC.

Countries in IST

IndiaSri Lanka

Major Cities in IST

MumbaiDelhiBangaloreKolkataChennaiHyderabadPuneAhmedabadColomboJaipurLucknowSurat

Key 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.
•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.

Daylight Saving:No – UTC+05:30 year-round

Learn more about IST on Wikipedia

GST – Gulf Standard Time

UTC+04:00

Gulf Standard Time (GST) is used in the UAE, Oman, and other Gulf states, 4 hours ahead of UTC.

Countries in GST

UAEOmanGeorgiaAzerbaijanMauritius

Major Cities in GST

DubaiAbu DhabiMuscatBakuTbilisi

Key Facts about GST

•Dubai uses GST year-round with no daylight saving time.
•GST is 9 hours ahead of EST and 4 hours ahead of GMT.
•The Dubai Financial Market (DFM) operates on GST.

Daylight Saving:No – UTC+04:00 year-round

Learn more about GST on Wikipedia

About Colombo

Wikipedia

Colombo operates on Sri Lanka Time (SLST), UTC+5:30. Sharing India's timezone, Colombo is a key South Asian trade and tourism hub.

Population:752,000

Metro:5.6 million

Business Hours:9:00 AM - 5:00 PM IST

Currency:LKR (Rs)

Stock Exchange:CSE (Colombo Stock Exchange)

Key Landmarks

Galle Face GreenGangaramaya TempleColombo Lotus TowerIndependence SquareDutch Hospital

Did You Know?

Sri Lanka Standard Time (SLST) uses UTC+5:30, same offset as India.

Learn more about IST timezone →

Understanding the -1h 30m Gap: Colombo vs United Arab Emirates

Colombo runs on India Standard Time (IST) at UTC+05:30. United Arab Emirates runs on Gulf Standard Time (GST) at UTC+04:00. That puts Colombo 1 hour 30 minutes behind United Arab Emirates — a difference of -1h 30m at the current offsets.

In practice, when it is 9:00 AM in Colombo it is 7:30 AM in United Arab Emirates. Midnight in Colombo is 10:30 PM in United Arab Emirates. Neither zone observes daylight saving time, so the offset between them stays constant all year.

Colombo to United Arab Emirates time conversion table

Colombo (IST)	United Arab Emirates (GST)	Day
12:00 AM	10:30 PM	previous day
6:00 AM	4:30 AM	same day
7:00 AM	5:30 AM	same day
8:00 AM	6:30 AM	same day
9:00 AM	7:30 AM	same day
12:00 PM	10:30 AM	same day
3:00 PM	1:30 PM	same day
5:00 PM	3:30 PM	same day
6:00 PM	4:30 PM	same day
9:00 PM	7:30 PM	same day

Why people convert Colombo to United Arab Emirates time

Scheduling a call from Colombo to United Arab Emirates: a 10:00 AM start in Colombo lands at 8:30 AM in United Arab Emirates, so you can confirm the slot without doing the arithmetic yourself.
Finding shared working hours: both Colombo and United Arab Emirates are inside the 9-to-5 working day between 10:30 AM and 5:00 PM IST time (9:00 AM–3:30 PM GST). That is roughly 6 hours 30 minutes of usable overlap.
Keeping family and friends in sync: knowing that 8:00 PM in Colombo is 6:30 PM in United Arab Emirates makes it easy to avoid calling at 3 AM.

Always state the zone abbreviation, not just the hour. "3:00 PM IST" is unambiguous; "3 PM" across a -1h 30m gap is not.
Block 10:30 AM–5:00 PM IST as the recurring meeting window if you work primarily from Colombo and need United Arab Emirates 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 GST (Gulf Standard Time)

Gulf Standard Time (GST) is the time zone used in the United Arab Emirates, Oman, and other Gulf states. GST does not observe daylight saving time. Dubai and Abu Dhabi, major international business and tourism hubs, operate on GST.

Best time to call between Colombo and United Arab Emirates

Both Colombo and United Arab Emirates sit inside the 9 AM – 5 PM working day between 10:30 AM–5:00 PM IST, which is 9:00 AM–3:30 PM GST. That gives roughly 6 hours and 30 minutes of shared time — the safest window for a live call or meeting.

Business hours overlap

Colombo and United Arab Emirates share 6 hours of working-hours overlap (10:30 AM–5:00 PM IST), so scheduling a live meeting is straightforward.

Colombo is 1 hour 30 minutes behind United Arab Emirates (IST UTC+05:30 → GST UTC+04:00). The shared working window is 10:30 AM–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:

⏳

History of Timekeeping

From sundials to atomic clocks - 5000 years of measuring time

🌍

How Time Zones Work

UTC, offsets, and why zones don't follow straight lines

☀️

Daylight Saving Time

DST dates, which countries observe it, and the ongoing debate

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the time difference between Colombo and United Arab Emirates?

Colombo (IST, UTC+05:30) is 1 hour 30 minutes behind United Arab Emirates (GST, UTC+04:00). The gap is currently -1h 30m.

How do I convert Colombo time to United Arab Emirates time?

Add -1h 30m to Colombo local time. For example, 9:00 AM in Colombo is 7:30 AM in United Arab Emirates.

What time is it in United Arab Emirates right now?

United Arab Emirates uses GST at UTC+04:00. Use the live converter at the top of this page — it updates in real time and already accounts for the -1h 30m offset from Colombo.

What is the best time to call United Arab Emirates from Colombo?

Call between 10:30 AM and 5:00 PM IST — that maps to 9:00 AM–3:30 PM GST and keeps both parties inside the working day.

Which is behind, Colombo or United Arab Emirates?

Colombo is 1 hour 30 minutes behind United Arab Emirates. When it is 12:00 PM in Colombo it is 10:30 AM in United Arab Emirates.

Do Colombo and United Arab Emirates use different time zones?

Colombo (Sri Lanka) uses IST at UTC+05:30, while United Arab Emirates (United Arab Emirates) uses GST at UTC+04:00. The IANA identifiers are Asia/Colombo and Asia/Dubai.