Indian Standard Time dissemination network using White Rabbit technology

About Indian Standard Time dissemination network using White Rabbit technology

• Commissioned at: It has been commissioned at the Regional Reference Standard Laboratory (RRSL) in Bengaluru. 
• Developed by: It has been developed jointly by the Department of Consumer Affairs, CSIR–National Physical Laboratory (CSIR–NPL) and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
• It is part of the broader “One Nation, One Time” initiative. 
• Aim: It aimed to provide a single, indigenous and highly accurate time source for sectors where even microsecond-level differences matter.
• How it works:
  • The new network distributes IST from national time laboratories through fibre-optic links equipped with White Rabbit technology.
  • The system constantly measures transmission delays and automatically adjusts for them, ensuring every connected node receives the same time almost simultaneously.
  • Because the network is fibre-based rather than dependent solely on satellite signals, it is more resilient against interference and provides a trusted domestic source of official time.
• Features:
  • It enables the secure dissemination of UTC (NPLI)-traceable Indian Standard Time using Precision Time Protocol (PTP)-based White Rabbit Technology.
  • It is designed to deliver highly accurate, secure and resilient time synchronisation for critical sectors, including banking, financial markets, telecommunications, power systems, transportation, digital governance and other strategic infrastructure.
• Significance: A trusted national time source would strengthen consumer protection, support fair trade, enhance cyber resilience and improve the reliability of financial markets, telecommunications, power systems and digital governance.