New Delhi
India · Asia/Kolkata · UTC+5:30
New Delhi is India's political capital and a major business center, alongside the National Capital Region.
Business hours & meeting culture
- Working hours
- 09:30–18:30, often later in IT and finance
- Workweek
- Monday to Friday (some Saturdays)
- Culture
- Indian business meetings are relationship-led, often run long, and value seniority. Meeting times can drift; build buffer. WhatsApp is widely used for follow-up.
- Meeting tips
- Diwali (October–November), Holi (March), Eid, and Christmas are all observed depending on region. India has many regional holidays — confirm with the specific city's office.
Travel & logistics context
Quick reference for business travelers — climate, currency, and language.Currency and language are country-level. Climate may vary across the country.
Climate
North India has cooler winters than the south; Mumbai monsoon peaks in July.
Currency
UPI dominates; cards accepted in cities; cash useful for small transactions.
Language
Plug & voltage
Type D and M still common; bring a universal adapter.
See plug types ↗🤝Business etiquette
- Greeting
- Handshake common in business; namaste (palms together) more traditional.
- Cards
- Both hands; right hand only if single-handed (left is considered unclean).
- Gifts
- Modest gifts; sweets/dry fruits for relationship-building. Diwali is a major gift season.
- Tipping
- 10% in restaurants if no service charge; tip drivers and porters.
- Dress
- Conservative; lightweight fabrics for the heat.
- Dining
- Right hand for eating; many vegetarian and religious dietary norms.
Time difference vs. major business cities
Computed for 2026. Daylight saving will shift these by an hour during transitions.
| City | Time zone | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| 🇯🇵Tokyo | Asia/Tokyo | +3h 30m |
| 🇮🇳Mumbai | Asia/Kolkata | Same time |
| 🇦🇪Dubai | Asia/Dubai | -1h 30m |
| 🇬🇧London | Europe/London | -4h 30m |
| 🇺🇸New York | America/New_York | -9h 30m |
| 🇦🇺Sydney | Australia/Sydney | +4h 30m |
| 🇺🇸San Francisco | America/Los_Angeles | -12h 30m |
| 🇨🇳Shanghai | Asia/Shanghai | +2h 30m |
Public holidays in India, 2026
Commonly observed national holidays. Regional holidays and bridge days are not included. See also the global holiday calendar.
- 2026-01-26
- 2026-03-04
- 2026-03-21
- 2026-03-26
- 2026-04-03
- 2026-04-14
- 2026-05-01
- 2026-05-27
- 2026-06-26
- 2026-08-15
- 2026-09-04
- 2026-09-24
- 2026-10-02
- 2026-10-20
- 2026-11-08
- 2026-11-24
- 2026-12-25
Plan a meeting with New Delhi
Use the meeting planner to compare times across multiple cities, with weekend and holiday awareness.
Open meeting planner →