Intercultural Business Etiquette

India
Business behavior
• Arrive at meetings on time even though you may be kept
waiting.
• It is best to send along a proposed agenda and/or supplemental
materials in advance of the meeting.
• As India is a very hierarchical society, it is best to defer to the
most senior person in the room.
• Meetings usually begin with a fair amount of small-talk and
many times no business is discussed in the initial meeting.
• Good topics of conversation include marital status, family, your
educational background, where you grew up, sports. Avoid:
politics, religion, the caste system, the Kashmir region.
Negotiations
• Avoid hard selling, pressure tactics and any sort of conflict or
confrontation.
• Decisions can take time and are usually made by the most
senior person.
• Do not disagree publicly with members of your team, maintain
harmony at all costs.