GIFT Nifty timing today: pre-open 5:00 AM, session 1 from 5:15 AM to 3:40 PM, pre-close until 3:55 PM, then session 2 from 4:05 PM to 2:45 AM the next day, Monday to Friday, in Indian Standard Time.
GIFT Nifty NSE IX
Nifty 50 NSE
Full GIFT Nifty trading schedule
| Phase | Start | End | What happens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Session 1 pre-open | 5:00 AM | 5:15 AM | Orders collected, opening price discovered |
| Session 1 | 5:15 AM | 3:40 PM | Continuous trading through Asian and Indian hours |
| Pre-close | 3:40 PM | 3:55 PM | Order collection ends 3:50 PM, session ends 3:55 PM |
| Session 2 pre-open | 3:58 PM | 4:05 PM | Opening of the evening session |
| Session 2 | 4:05 PM | 2:45 AM (next day) | Continuous trading through European and US hours |
NSE IX describes its wider operating window as 3:15 AM to 2:45 AM the following day. For GIFT Nifty traders the useful numbers are the two continuous sessions above.
What changed on 2 November 2026
NSE International Exchange moved to a near round-the-clock schedule on 2 November 2026 and confirmed on 3 November that the first day ran smoothly. Before the change, GIFT Nifty traded for about 21 hours a day.
| Before 2 Nov 2026 | From 2 Nov 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| Session 1 pre-open | 6:15 AM | 5:00 AM |
| Session 1 trading starts | 6:30 AM | 5:15 AM |
| Session 1 trading ends | 3:40 PM | 3:40 PM |
| Session 2 | Unchanged: 4:05 PM to 2:45 AM | |
| Trading day | About 21 hours | About 23.5 hours |
Many websites still show the old 6:30 AM opening time. If an app or article says GIFT Nifty opens at 6:30 AM, it was written before November 2026.
Session 1: Asia and the Indian morning
Session 1 opens at 5:15 AM IST, just before Japan and Korea open at 5:30 AM IST. This is the session most Indian traders watch. Between 5:15 and 9:15 AM, GIFT Nifty absorbs the US close from the night before and the first hours of Asian trading, so by 9:00 AM it usually gives a clear picture of the expected Nifty open.
After 9:15 AM, session 1 runs alongside the NSE cash market and tracks it closely until 3:40 PM.
Session 2: the night session
Session 2 starts at 4:05 PM IST and runs until 2:45 AM. It covers the European trading day and most of the US session, including US economic data released at 6:00 PM or 7:00 PM IST depending on US daylight saving time, and Federal Reserve announcements late at night in India.
If you want to know how the market reacted to overnight US news, look at where GIFT Nifty closed session 2 at 2:45 AM and where session 1 opened at 5:15 AM.
GIFT Nifty timings vs NSE timings
| GIFT Nifty (NSE IX) | Nifty 50 on NSE | |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-open | 5:00 AM | 9:00 to 9:08 AM |
| Opens | 5:15 AM | 9:15 AM |
| Closes | 2:45 AM (next day) | 3:30 PM cash market; 3:40 PM equity derivatives |
| Breaks | 3:55 to 4:05 PM between sessions | None |
| Hours per day | About 23.5 | About 6.25 |
| Currency | US dollar | Indian rupee |
NSE extended equity derivatives trading to 3:40 PM from 3 August 2026, and a 10-minute closing auction for the cash market starts on 7 December 2026. The 9:15 AM opening is unchanged.
GIFT Nifty holidays
GIFT Nifty does not trade on Saturdays and Sundays: the last session of the week ends at 2:45 AM on Saturday and trading restarts at 5:15 AM on Monday. NSE IX publishes its own holiday list, which is not always the same as NSE's. On some Indian market holidays GIFT Nifty trades, and the session status on this site does not account for holidays, so check the NSE IX holiday circular on those days.
Best time to check GIFT Nifty
- 8:30 to 9:10 AM IST: the most reliable signal for the 9:15 open.
- Around 2:45 AM IST: the session 2 close shows the full reaction to US markets.
- 5:15 to 7:30 AM IST: useful on mornings with big news from Japan, Korea or Hong Kong.
Frequently asked questions
What is the GIFT Nifty opening time?
5:15 AM IST, Monday to Friday, with a pre-open from 5:00 AM. This has applied since 2 November 2026; before that the opening time was 6:30 AM.
What is the GIFT Nifty closing time?
Session 1 closes at 3:40 PM IST with a pre-close until 3:55 PM. Session 2 closes at 2:45 AM IST the next morning, which is the end of the trading day.
Is GIFT Nifty open 24 hours?
Almost. It trades for about 23.5 hours a day in two sessions, with a short break between 3:55 and 4:05 PM IST and no trading between 2:45 and 5:00 AM.
Does GIFT Nifty trade on Saturday?
Only until 2:45 AM on Saturday morning, when Friday's second session ends. It does not trade on Saturday or Sunday after that.
Are GIFT Nifty timings in IST?
Yes. NSE IX publishes GIFT Nifty timings in Indian Standard Time (UTC+5:30), and India does not use daylight saving time.