Master the Art of
Doing Business
in India
Updated from the same program delivered at Caltech's executive education series — now available privately for your leadership team. Built on 23 years of first-hand experience inside Indian boardrooms and Fortune 500 companies.
You're leaving value on the table
in your India engagement
This workshop is designed for middle and senior leaders who need to move fast and get India right. If any of these describe your situation, this program was built for you.
Working with India but not achieving the results you anticipated
Making your first significant business foray into India and need to get it right
Establishing or improving a Global Capability Center in India
Building supply chain resilience through India-based sourcing
Navigating India's financial, legal, and regulatory environment
Preparing to meet Indian customers, government officials, or senior employees
Four formats to fit your team's
schedule and depth of need
All formats draw from the same practitioner-developed curriculum and are customized using a pre-workshop questionnaire. Half-day formats cover a focused selection of core topics — the complete curriculum is delivered only in the full-day and two-session formats.
| Included in full | Selected topics covered | Not included |
In person Half-day workshop Approx. 4 hours · up to 16 participants Curriculum coverage Curated selection of core topics — high-impact introduction to doing business with India
✓ Printed slides for all attendees ✓ Business with India book for every attendee ✓ Indian meal or snacks (where practical) | In person · Most comprehensive Full-day workshop Approx. 7–8 hours · up to 16 participants Curriculum coverage Complete curriculum — all modules, extended Q&A, and the full cross-cultural deep dive
✓ Printed slides for all attendees ✓ Business with India book for every attendee ✓ Indian meal or snacks (where practical) | |||||||||||||||
Online Half-day virtual session Approx. 4 hours · up to 16 participants Curriculum coverage Same focused content as the half-day in-person — delivered via secure video platform
— Printed slides not included ✓ Business with India kindle book for every attendee — Indian meal not applicable | Online · C-suite Two sessions online 2 × 2 hours · private & confidential Curriculum coverage Two focused sessions covering strategic context and the full cross-cultural deep dive
— Printed slides not included ✓ Business with India kindle book for every attendee — Indian meal not applicable | |||||||||||||||
The eight dimensions of cross-cultural
intelligence for India
This module is consistently cited by participants as the most immediately applicable. Each dimension is grounded in real business situations — directly relevant to working with Indian executives, teams, and government officials.
Time
How Indians experience time differently — and how to work with it, not against it
Hierarchy
How authority and seniority are perceived and enacted in Indian organizations
Indirect communication
Reading between the lines — why “yes” often means something else entirely
Relationships
How trust is built in India, and why rushing it costs more than taking time
Language nuances
Navigating the subtleties of English as spoken and written by Indian professionals
Appearance and manners
What signals professionalism and respect in Indian business culture
Names
How Indian names work, why they confuse Westerners, and how to navigate them correctly
Superstitions
Business-relevant beliefs that influence decisions, timing, and behavior in Indian organizations
Expertise earned in the field,
not the classroom
Past credential
Gunjan Bagla created and delivered the Business With India executive program at the California Institute of Technology's Industrial Relations Center.
Trusted by leaders at the world's
most recognized companies
“The workshop was tailored to our specific business needs and prepared our senior team for launching and conducting business in India.”
“The session was engaging, informational, strategic, and spot-on for our needs.”
“The informal Q&A and interaction was most valuable. The information will be a good basis for my ongoing work.”
“From this workshop, I understand how to modify communications, processes, and expectations working with India.”
“Outstanding workshop! The Briefing Leader has very clear knowledge, plus real life examples. A real expert who communicated his knowledge very well.”
“The most valuable part was the personal experience that makes the materials very relatable. His cultural insights are directly relevant to my job.”
Past participants include executives from:
Clear pricing. No surprises.
One flat fee covers the workshop and all included materials. Travel and accommodation for in-person engagements are billed at cost.
Workshop fee — not per person
- ✓
Your choice of four flexible formats
- ✓
Custom-tailored curriculum via advance questionnaire
- ✓
Up to 16 participants
- ✓
Printed slides for every attendee In person only
- ✓
Doing Business in 21st Century Business book for every attendee
- ✓
Indian meal or snacks In person only
- ✓
Confidential Q&A — session never recorded
We'll confirm the right format and fit before you commit.
In-person logistics
North American cities — standard rate
Generally available in cities served by nonstop flights from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
Other locations — premium may apply
Engagements outside standard service cities are available; additional fees may apply.
Travel expenses — billed at cost to client
Airfare, hotel, and per-diem for the Briefing Leader billed separately at actual cost
Online formats — no travel costs
Virtual workshops available worldwide with no additional travel fees
India won't wait.
Neither should you.
Every quarter without a clear India strategy is a quarter your competitors gain ground. Take the first step toward confident, profitable India engagement.
Cohorts limited to 16 participants. Contact us to check availability for your preferred dates.
Last updated: December 26th, 2025
