Location: Southern Asia, bordering Bangladesh 4,053 km, Bhutan 605 km, Burma 1,463 km, China 3,380 km, Nepal 1,690 km, Pakistan 2,912 km

Capital: New Delhi

Population: 1,065,070,607 (July 2004 est.)

Languages: The different states of India have different official languages, some of them not recognized by the central government. Some states have more then one official language. Bihar in east India has three official languages - Hindi, Urdu and Bengali - which are all recognized by the central government. But Sikkim, also in east India, has four official languages of which only Nepali is recognized by the central government.

Lifestyle & Aspirations
The leisure time of the average Indian revolves around the family and the extended family, which can be large. Leisure venues such as movie theatres, bowling alleys, parks, and amusement parks abound in most major cities.
Indians are passionate about politics, cricket and films. Bollywood is a huge industry now and India in fact has one of the largest movie-making industries in the world. Mumbai alone turns out over 1,000 films a year. As a result, Indians are great cinema-goers, and there are over 13,000 movie theatres in the country. Television is also popular, despite the country's poverty, with over 14 million TV sets owned by Indian households, compared to three million in 1983.
India also has a thriving music scene, with folk and classical music fusing with hip-hop, reggae and house music to create an entire new genre, spread worldwide by Indian communities in cities like London.
Debating politics is another popular activity, although such debates may take place at a very local level, making it difficult for a visitor to get involved.
Cricket is extremely popular, both as a participation activity and a spectator sport. India's top cricketers are national heroes and even the smallest rural communities will follow the game.
Vacations usually consist of visiting relations. There is no standard length of vacation time; it depends on one's livelihood.

The Essentials (10 Key Tips)
1. Demonstrate awareness and understanding of everyday tensions between traditional Indian values and those emerging in new business centres and industries influenced by the West.
2. Respect hierarchy; ignoring the chain of command can have negative consequences. Decisions tend to be made at the highest level.
3. Keep your schedule flexible enough to accommodate last minute changes.
4. Respect formalities. Use professional and
courtesy titles such as Doctor and Professor, Mr., Mrs., or Miss. Don?t begin by calling someone by his or her first name. Much respect is given to education and university qualifications.
5. Take the time to get to know your Indian colleagues/clients personally. Professional trust can make things happen when the obstacles seem insurmountable.
6. Be aware that polite communication in India can be be confusing to the Westerner. Straightforward refusals or rebuttals are unlikely - "I?ll try," "Possibly," "We?ll see," are more likely than "No, I can?t meet that deadline."
7. Always manage criticisms and disagreements very constructively and diplomatically, and out of the public gaze.
8. Expect negotiations to be long, sometimes dealing with what can be seen as peripheral issues. Be patient. This is related to building enough contextual information before making a decision, as well as building a trusting relationship.
9. Understand that following the correct procedure/process in India is valued; be patient and don't try to force things along.
10. Give your Indian colleagues a lot of background information so that they understand the "Why?" and not just the "What?" and the "How?"

Working with the Indians
1990 was a milestone year for India due to the 'liberalisation' process. Prior to 1990, the Indian business environment was characterised by protectionism, bureaucracy and a license raj. Government-owned sectors and industries were dominant. This has drastically changed since 1990, creating a complex mix of cultures.
Generalising about India's work culture is difficult. India has three business cultures. One is characterised by bureaucracy and is specific to the government-owned and controlled industries as well as traditional Indian businesses. A second culture is dominant in companies that are smaller, private sector firms, often family-run.
The third business culture is a mix of western professionalism with Indian culture and is found in professional industries and most multinationals in the country.

Making a Good Impression
You will make a good impression in India if you adapt to the pace of life and accept the fact that things take longer to happen. Getting frustrated with the system will neither change the system, nor win you friends.
Fitting in includes embracing the Indian style of hospitality. Accept invitations (there will be many) and prepare to have little privacy. Be prepared to answer personal questions and indulge in small talk on every occasion. Building a relationship is very important. Do not try to impose Western values and management style on an unprepared Indian team; understand what motivates the team instead.
While Indians are friendly, gracious and warm, the country also has a culture of tough negotiation and haggling at every level. Be ready to use all your negotiating skills.
Indians enjoy a presentation that is well-ordered, and leaves them with a clear impression of what is expected of them.
Trust is achieved over time and through a process of getting to know each other. Be prepared to be introduced to colleagues, peers and even friends and family members of those you might be working with. Often, this is done so that they can form an opinion of you as well.

Business Etiquette
India is governed by a complex social etiquette which translates into business as well. Indians are expressive, emotional, inquisitive, hospitable and polite, and you will come across all of these attributes. The only way to get by socially and in business is to accept the system and learn to blend in, accepting a completely different pace of life, generous and prolonged hospitality, understanding negotiating techniques and reading an Indian's body language.

Business cards
Prepare to exchange a lot of business cards unless dealing with senior government officials, who do not tend to hand out cards. It is not necessary to translate business cards into any Indian languages. Many Indians' business cards will contain home/residence numbers, but that does not necessarily mean you use them.
Keep business cards in front of you during a meeting as a sign of respect to the other party.
Due to the fact that many Indian names are often confusing to a Westerner, it is acceptable to ask an Indian how he/she would prefer to be addressed once you've read their card.

Body language
Indians use a lot of gestures and expressions. It is important to remember that no gesture be made with the "unclean" left hand (this hand is considered the natural hand to use for personal hygiene).
The most misunderstood Indian gesture is the habit of nodding one's head sideways. It is often misinterpreted by westerners as a "no". In reality, it is most often a "yes", or an indication that they are listening to and understanding what you are saying.
Close contact between members of the same gender is commonplace. It is considered normal for two Indian male friends to walk on the street arm in arm. This is not indicative of any sexual preference.
It is considered rude and disrespectful to point one's foot at anyone, especially one's elder. Beckoning someone with a wagging finger, with the palm upward is seen as insulting, as is pointing with a finger. Foreigners should generally avoid physical contact beyond handshaking and a pat on an arm or a shoulder, and should be avoided completely with a member of the opposite sex.

Communication style
Many Indians tend to speak in rapid, long sentences that often lead to communication challenges for many Westerners. The style of communication is very implicit. Value is placed on empathy, shared understanding and consensus-reaching. Subtlety is common. A direct "No" is considered too blunt. Instead, a "Yes" is followed by a discussion about the challenges in accomplishing the task. Disagreement is not expressed directly, as it's too hostile and aggressive, although a senior person in a company may adopt this tactic. You have to know somebody well before you can contradict them. Otherwise, disagreements are expressed in an indirect manner.
Silence is common in meetings. It does not imply agreement or otherwise. It is important to understand that asking "Does everyone agree?" and not getting a response does not imply that people do agree.
Confrontation is usually avoided in group surroundings. One-to-one meetings may be more appropriate.
Small talk is an important part of business life and is a way of building trust. Be prepared to answer questions you may feel are invasive, about your family and personal life. It's a sign of friendliness to ask.

Gift Giving
Gifts are a way of communicating respect, appreciation and friendship. Visitors should certainly expect to receive gifts, like bouquets or garlands of flowers, which can make you feel very conspicuous when you are visiting a factory or office complex for a tour.
Giving gifts is considered acceptable. They should not be extravagant and often should represent the business/company. Anything made in the USA has prestige, and tasteful souvenirs of your home country will be appropriate. Be careful when bringing alcohol, as many Indians don't drink, and items made of leather, which would offend Hindu sensibilities. Don't bring a lavishly expensive gift as it could embarrass the recipient.
Often during informal dinners or discussions, an Indian executive may present you with a gift and state that it is from him/her (read as not from the company). In those instances, personal gifts may be presented to that individual, so it is advisable to carry with you some small mementos from your home country.
Various superstitions govern gift-giving. It is considered unacceptable to give gifts in odd numbers in some parts of India. White and black are inauspicious colours, while any combination of the numbers one and five is lucky. Flowers have all sorts of connotations, although roses are generally safe. Jewellery is probably too intimate and gold is only exchanged between relatives.
Normally, gifts are not opened in the presence of the giver, although your Indian host may insist on your opening the gift, and would expect appreciation for his/her choice.

Business Meeting Culture
Planning a meeting
Many meetings are held just to reiterate discussion points and achieve consensus rather than arrive at a decision/conclusion. However, increasingly in private-sector companies, Indian business executives look to secure quicker decisions.
Contracts must be planned for and initial contact may be through a friend, consultant or agent. Notify your Indian counterparts in advance about the officers travelling with you and their functions. This will be taken as a hint to the other side to have comparable personnel at the meeting. Before your initial meeting, have a clear idea about what kind of relationship you are seeking and keep in mind that your Indian counterparts are likely to have done their homework on you.
While the importance of setting goals and agendas for meetings is accepted, they are not generally followed.
Because meetings can be vague and go off at tangents, it's advisable to circulate an agenda beforehand and prepare to keep very careful notes during the meeting. Your goal should be to secure commitment at the highest level to your idea; and to create an action plan and a time frame for its implementation. Keep this realistic as time has a meaning of its own in India.

During a meeting
Most meetings will begin with small talk over a cup of tea and perhaps food. Do not refuse any food or drink offered; it is considered rude. Do not feel uncomfortable if your counterpart offers you a seat and stands up themselves; they are simply being polite.
It is important that your Indian counterpart matches you for seniority. Both being present at the meeting, however, does not always mean great involvement - it's more common for junior staff to thrash out the fine details of a deal. Openly questioning a senior's point of view isn't the Indian's style. If a question needs to be broached, an officer of comparable rank should do it.
Keep a lid on your feelings during a meeting. Losing control means losing face and a smile, even if it's through clenched teeth, will be better than scowling.
Do not get frustrated if the meeting is constantly interrupted by phone calls and uninvited visitors. The chances are that the senior person on the other team is able to juggle these.

Following a meeting
It is essential to document everything said in the meeting and to be clear about who is doing what as follow-up. Circulate the minutes to everybody who was there and everybody else who needs to know, and keep following up, in writing. Make sure everybody knows what is expected of them.

Motivating Others
The primary motivation of the Indian is social success. Job titles are therefore important and good motivators, as a senior-sounding title indicates prestige. This couples with the desire to avoid confrontation and embarrassment, seeking group consensus, and leads to a very interesting and contradictory mix in motivating the Indian workforce. There is an emphasis on achieving end results, with any established processes being assumed to be flexible. The connection one has to a team and the organisation is a critical motivator for the Indian professional; being made to feel part of a 'family' is a positive thing.
A younger, sharper generation of graduates, more influenced by Western culture, is more motivated by money and status symbols than workers in years gone by, and is more inclined to move from job to job until the salary is right. In fact, surveys of Indian business executives indicate a growing desire for salary to be linked to performance, not seniority.
Indian compensation packages can seem baffling to Western employers. In addition to performance bonuses and standard benefits, packages typically include perks such as housing allowances, paid utilities, furnishings, a company vehicle (including driver, maintenance, fuel and insurance), education, medical insurance and expenses, club memberships and dues, and unlimited business entertainment expenses.

Effective Presentations
Presentation Essentials
Organised presentations are critical. In addition to presenting facts clearly and logically, it is important to present the macro-level conceptual ideas. The 21st century Indian corporate culture involves a more up-front style. Issues are laid out and discussed in sequence, with bluntness. However, many proprietorial businessmen continue to honor the old-style. New concepts may take some getting used to for an Indian audience, particularly if they challenge religious beliefs or existing social structures. Using emotion and presenting an argument which appeals to feelings may go down better than hard fact.
India's education system relies on rote learning and an Indian audience may think associatively more than analytically, unless they are particularly highly educated.

Audience Expectations
An Indian audience may be used to fairly long-winded presentations, but this is no reason to talk too much. Keep the presentation straightforward and keep handout materials until the end, or the audience will read them instead of listening. Ideas should be presented clearly and logically. Make clear before the presentation begins whether the intent it is to inform and educate, or to persuade the audience to take a certain course of action as a result. If it's the latter, make sure your objective is in writing and is circulated to everybody who matters, not just to the people to whom you present.
Indian businesses are quite comfortable with professional slide and audio-visual presentations.
Audiences will not normally interrupt - Indians are on the most part excellent listeners - but will expect a chance to ask questions afterwards.

Managing Relationships
The successful management of relationships is essential if you are to get on in India; the business community is close-knit and individuals can extend tentacles in many directions, with the ability to influence others. So making a good impression and working hard at maintaining harmony are essential. Adapting to the sometimes frustrating Indian sense of time and the apparently chaotic way of doing things is a skill that takes polishing.
Tact and diplomacy are important, as saving face means a lot to Indians, regardless of which part of the country they are from. For most Indians, achieving consensus, avoiding embarrassment and minimising conflict are top priorities. Social success is a goal for many, which is why so many Indian companies have a 'family' feel about them.