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Azerbaijan begins work on establishing a National Standard Time

18 April 2025 10:44 (UTC +04:00)

Work has begun on the establishment of the National Time Standard in Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan Institute of Metrology (AzMI) told APA-Economics.

It was noted that currently, the distribution of accurate and coordinated time (time synchronization) in Azerbaijan is carried out using various external sources and methods. This not only increases dependency on foreign systems but also makes precise synchronization of time more difficult. As a result, the likelihood of various obstacles arising in fields such as finance, logistics, communications, and others increase.

Steps have been taken by AzMI to address these issues. Within the framework of clause 1.1.21 "Ensuring that the production of goods and services in the country complies with modern quality standards" of the Action Plan of the "2022–2026 Social-Economic Development Strategy", which was approved by Order No. 3378 of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated July 22, 2022, cesium atomic clocks and GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receivers have already been installed in the newly established Time and Frequency Measurements Laboratory of AzMI. The installation of these devices is of great significance in the process of creating the National Time Standard.

Within this framework, the time difference between the atomic clocks in GNSS satellites and those in the Time and Frequency Measurements Laboratory of AzMI will be measured regularly every day, and the obtained data will be sent to the Bureau International des Poids et Mesures (BIPM). This method will make it possible to monitor the time difference by comparing the world standard UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) with Azerbaijan’s national time standard (UTC-AZ).

Once internationally traceable time is established, synchronization with the country’s national time standard via the internet will be possible through the NTP (Network Time Protocol) system installed in the laboratory. Thus, the use of a unified time within the republic will be ensured. This, in turn, will allow various sectors within the country to operate more efficiently and reliably.

For your information, the process of establishing the National Time Standard is expected to be completed by the end of this year. These steps will turn Azerbaijan into a country with a more reliable and coordinated time system, both domestically and internationally.