Sunrise and Sunset Times in New Delhi

How sunrise and sunset shift across the year in New Delhi

India does not observe daylight saving time. The offset stays at UTC+5:30. So the change in daylight comes entirely from the tilt of the Earth. Days lengthen from the December solstice to the June solstice, then shorten back.

Key markers for 2026:

The equinoxes are not exactly 12 hours of daylight in New Delhi. The March equinox gives 12 h 6 min and the September equinox gives 12 h 10 min. Sunrise and sunset are defined as the moment the upper edge of the sun touches the horizon. Atmospheric refraction lifts the sun by about 0.6°.

Earliest and latest sunrises: seasonal extremes

The earliest sunrise in New Delhi occurs around the June solstice. On 21 June 2026, sunrise is 05:23 IST. The latest sunrise occurs around the December solstice. On 21 December 2026, sunrise is 07:09 IST. A difference of 1 hour 46 minutes.

The latest sunset happens near the June solstice. On 21 June 2026, sunset is 19:21 IST. The earliest sunset happens near the December solstice. On 21 December 2026, sunset is 17:28 IST. A difference of 1 hour 53 minutes.

The dates of earliest sunrise and latest sunset do not fall exactly on the solstice. In New Delhi, the earliest sunrise occurs a few days before the solstice and the latest sunset a few days after. The asymmetry is small and rarely matters for practical planning.

How IST affects New Delhi's daylight hours

India Standard Time is fixed at UTC+5:30 year-round. New Delhi sits at longitude 77.2°E, about 5.3° west of the standard meridian at 82.5°E. Each degree of longitude corresponds to 4 minutes of solar time. So New Delhi's solar noon occurs roughly 21 minutes later than the clock noon.

In summer, the sun rises early by the clock (05:23 IST) but the midday heat peaks later than noon. In winter, the sun rises late (07:09 IST) and sets early (17:28 IST). Winter mornings are dark for school and office commutes. Many Delhi residents start work at 09:30 or 10:00 to let the sun come up.

Because India has a single time zone, the eastern states see much earlier sunrises and sunsets than New Delhi. The solar time difference between Gujarat and Arunachal Pradesh is roughly two hours. Travellers crossing the country may feel social jet lag: a 19:00 dinner in Gujarat feels like 21:00 in Assam.

Using sunrise data for religious observances

Ramadan Iftar timings. Iftar (breaking the fast) occurs at sunset. Fasters need the exact sunset time for each day of the month, as it shifts by about 1 to 2 minutes per day. The sunset time on any given date depends on where Ramadan falls that year. In 2026, Eid al-Fitr falls on Saturday 21 March. In 2027, Eid al-Fitr is estimated for Wednesday 10 March.

Hindu muhurta calculations. The Hindu panchanga (almanac) uses sunrise as the start of the civil day for most calculations. Auspicious timings (muhurtas) are defined relative to sunrise. For example, the Abhijit muhurta occurs when the sun is at the meridian. Panchanga makers use IST-based sunrise times to calculate these windows.

Fasting during Hindu observances. Many Hindu fasts (vrats) begin at sunrise and end at a specific time, often the next sunrise or sunset. Karwa Chauth and some Ekadashi fasts use the moonrise time calculated in IST, which depends on the sunset time. The panchanga for New Delhi always uses IST, not local solar time.

Photography and event planning: golden hour in IST

The golden hour (the hour after sunrise and the hour before sunset) shifts dramatically through the year.

For outdoor events, plan the start time so the key activity falls within the golden hour. A December wedding reception scheduled for 18:00 IST will miss the golden hour entirely. Schedule it for 16:30 IST to catch the light. Summer weddings have the opposite challenge: sunrise is very early (05:23 IST) and sunset is late (19:21 IST), giving a long evening golden hour but a punishingly early morning one.