Business Etiquette in India
India is a country that is becoming a big business hub and a large number of businessmen visit the country every now and then to meet business associates in India. Given that India is a country that is culturally rich, Indians absolutely adore it when you follow certain Indian mannerisms and greet them the Indian way.
A handshake is considered to be a sophisticated and a fine way of greeting your business associates. However a ‘namaste’ is also a good way to greet an Indian. This is when you bring your palms together at chest level and bow your head a little. In meetings men often wear a suit and a tie. A blazer also goes fine during winters but you can take off your blazer if the weather is very hot. Females on the other hand wear outfits that cover them from top to bottom. Covering your legs and arms in business meetings leave a good impression.
Meetings are arranged in advance and make sure that you do get in touch with your business associate on the day of the meeting over the phone. A confirmation is always admired and punctuality is considered a sign of sincerity. India is a country with a lot of festivals. You might not even know of certain festivals that people in India celebrate. Avoid arranging a meeting around national holidays or festivals.
The use of the word ‘no’ in business meetings is considered impolite in India. People do not refuse directly. Mostly a person who wants to say ‘no’ would say ‘I’ll try my level best, but I cannot promise’. You can use other phrases like these if you want to refuse to something.
Once you get your visa for India, make sure that you look up a few general etiquettes used in business meetings in India. Visas for India are not very tough to get. Given that a large number of people come to India for various purposes, people do not find it hard to arrange a visa for India.
Visas for India can be availed of easily with the help of a India visa consultant. A visa consultant will tell you about all the necessary documents required by the Indian embassy in London. You can either go to the Indian embassy yourself with your visa application or you could send your visa application in the hands of your visa consultant or travel agent.
Getting a business visa for India requires you to have a valid passport, two passport size photographs and a letter from your employers stating the reason and the time span of the visit. With these documents, you would get your Indian visa within 10 days if your application is approved by the Indian embassy.