Business Etiquette in India: Knowing how to conduct yourself within the framework of a specific culture can be crucial to the success of your business in any foreign country. This is why it is important to study the country’s culture and background before doing business on the ground, and one of the keys to conducting yourself successfully among the local people is by practicing and refining business etiquette in India. India is a diverse and tolerant country and its international interactions go back several thousand years. Unlike Japan or China, it was never insular.
Appearance
India stays warm or hot for most of the year. Business suits for men may be appropriate in some industries in large cities, but a business casual look works in most situations. Adult men almost never wear shorts unless they are exercising. Foreign women should refrain from wearing short skirts, revealing tops or exposed upper arms, despite what you might see in Bollywood movies. You will find a diversity of colors and patterns in male and female attire in India.
Manners
Belief in certain religious ideas often dictates how Indians conduct themselves both personally and professionally. For example, it is considered insulting to call someone over by gesturing with the palm up and a finger wagging. Standing upright with hands on the hips is also considered to be an angry or aggressive posture and should be avoided if possible.
Whistling or winking is thought of as insulting especially to women. It may be misconstrued as a form of sexual provocation. Pointing feet is impolite as well, as Indians believe that feet are unclean, so that if your feet or shoes accidentally touch a person, it is necessary to apologize.
Gift-giving is also a common practice among Indians, although not a requirement as it might be in Japan. However, wrapped gifts should not opened in front of the giver. It is customary in India to set aside wrapped gifts and open them when the giver has already left.
Long hand shakes, shoulder pats and such among men don’t imply anything more than a friendly gesture. Physical contact between men and women in a work situations is limited, no Italian cheek pecks, or bear hugs (unless you know their preference for such). At Amritt we recommend that our foreign clients (male or female) shake hands unhesitatingly in any professional urban business interaction. However a “namastey” greeting with folded hands is always acceptable as a substitute.
Companies
The vast majority of India’s homegrown companies are owned (or “promoted”) and run by families. At these family owned companies the senior family member is often treated with a reverent attitude. Junior employees may refrain from using the boss’s name (calling them Chairperson or Madam or some other honorific); if they are suddenly sick, don’t be surprised if all your meetings get cancelled even though they were not scheduled to meet you. Exceptions to “feudal” approach are Larsen & Toubro (an Indian company despite its Danish founder), most of the Tata group, Infosys and and all state owned entities ( Hindustan Aeronautics, Bharat Elecronics, BHEL etc).
Communication
In a country as big as India, there are bound to be a profusion of different languages and dialects, but the good thing about doing business in India is that here, English is used as their primary means of communication when doing business. However many words used in Indian English may sound different or strange. Consult our Indian-English Dictionary for guidance.
The word “no” for example, can be a very harsh word for the local people. As such, refusing an invitation directly is often avoided. Indians prefer to be evasive in replying negatively, often preferring to say “I’ll try” rather than being outright in declining.
“Thank you” is another curiosity when used in India. In general, Indians find it mildly offensive when their guests thank them at the end of a meal.
Finally, it is important to note that titles are important in India so that it when communicating with business partners, it is a must to address them using the correct titles. Junior employees may address their bosses as “Sir” or suffix sir their name (” Paul sir came to the office early to prepare for the meeting”). Be conservatice in using first names of people whom you have just met. Don’t hesitate to address someone as Dr. Singh or Professor Rai or Colonel Bose until you know what they prefer.
Politics and religion are not taboo topics in Indian small talk. Cricket and Bollywood are always safe subjects if you can read about either in advance.
Keeping these simple tips in mind can make a big difference when conducting business in India, so before hitting the ground, get to know the people and their way of life, and this little investment on knowledge will do you a world of good in this fascinating and culturally rich country.
We hope that our Doing Business in India Guide will help answer some of the routine questions we get asked. Please Contact Us if you need more in-depth assistance when looking to do business with India. We’ll be glad to help.