Intercultural Business Etiquette

India
Communication style
• Indians will often tell you what you want to hear in order to be
polite.
• The word “no” has harsh implications in India. Evasive refusals
like “I’ll try” are more common, and are considered more
polite.
• One thing to be aware of is the “Head Bobble”. Most Indians
will never tell you “No”. If they say “Yes” to a question while
bobbling their head (a mixture between a shake and a nod),
that “Yes” generally means “No”.
• Indians tend to stand about 3 feet apart.
• Indians do not generally touch as part of communication.
Touching of any kind between men and women can be
interpreted as flirting.
• Sustained eye contact is not generally the norm, especially for
a woman looking at a man. If doing business, it is not
uncommon to keep eye contact, but it may seem odd to hold it
intently for a while. The best option is to look away or down
once in a while.