What Is An Atomic Clock? How Does It Take India To 'One Nation, One Time'?
During the Kargil War, reliance on foreign satellite time data hindered targeting accuracy. This prompted India to launch an indigenous time system project. The use of atomic clocks at the regional centres will ensure that all our digital devices are synced with them rather than...Read More
From the depths of the ocean to the heights of space, Indian scientists are making their presence felt everywhere. Meanwhile, Indian scientists have achieved a remarkable feat, providing India with its own time standard.
Currently, India adheres to Indian Standard Time (IST), but the most precise timekeeping is determined by GPS satellites. These satellites boast millisecond accuracy and are synchronised with Coordinated Universal Time (UTC).
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But this is set to change in the next few months. The National Physical Laboratory (NPL) will soon be connected to the Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC) system to provide time referencing.
Located in Faridabad, the NPL will receive time data from NavIC and transmit it to four other centres in Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Bhubaneswar, and Guwahati via optical fibre links. Atomic clocks will be installed at these centres.
The use of atomic clocks will ensure that digital watches, smartphones, and laptops display time synchronised with these highly accurate timekeepers, rather than relying on GPS data from service providers. Soon, regional centres equipped with atomic clocks will disseminate this precise time to all users, effectively implementing a system of ‘one country, one time’.
Need Felt During Kargil War
The need for an indigenous time system was acutely felt during the Kargil War. India’s reliance on time data from foreign satellites hampered its ability to accurately target enemy positions. Recognising the strategic importance of self-reliance in this domain, the government initiated this project approximately seven years ago.
According to a report in The Times of India, Nidhi Khare, Secretary of Consumer Affairs in the Government of India, stated that “most of the work on the ‘Time Dissemination Project’ has been completed. Atomic clocks have been installed in Faridabad, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru and Bhubaneswar. The NavIC link was also tested a few months ago."
Khare’s department, in collaboration with the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), will disseminate Indian Standard Time (IST) with an accuracy of milliseconds to microseconds. The clocks in the four centres will be synchronised to Faridabad time to adjust for time differences in data sharing.
What is an atomic clock?
An atomic clock is a highly accurate timekeeping device that utilises the specific resonance frequencies of atoms to maintain precision. The remarkable accuracy of these clocks is evident in their ability to run for approximately 100 million years before deviating by a single second.
Benefits of the Project
According to the report, former Consumer Affairs Secretary Rohit Kumar Singh stated that “this initiative would establish India’s own accurate and reliable time distribution network. This would reduce dependence on foreign systems and bolster national security. Sectors such as power grids, telecommunications, banking, defence and transport would benefit from this."
How Will The Transition Take Place
According to the Times Of India report, the transition to indigenous time system will be implemented through a mix of technical upgrades and regulatory guidelines. The consumer affairs department has released draft rules requiring Indian Standard Time (IST) to be the sole time reference for all legal, administrative, commercial, and official documents across the country.
Specialized fields such as astronomy, navigation, and scientific research will be allowed exceptions, but only with prior government approval. Non-compliance with these rules will result in penalties.
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