You have to establish a presence to do well in India
Be There
Fly in Fly Out does not work long term in India – naturally, Indians like to see that you are serious and that means having a local presence. Does not have to be big, but it has to be local.
Be Indian
As soon as you can, find a local Indian leader or team that can do two things – work with you plus take you into the Indian market.
Blend with Indian culture
We all love our “corporate culture”, but you might need to bend a little, blend a little to produce something right for India.
“Indianise” your product or service
Innovate, repackage, find new markets for what you do, accept technical innovations from within India – “Indianise”.
Be a Presence
Participate in local chambers and industry groups – the collective is so much more important in India and you need to find a way to “be a presence”.
Get support in India
Australia has some of the best people ready to help you – State Government Business Offices, Austrade – start talking to them early and keep the links going. They can be your best resource.
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Author: Stephen Manallack
Former President, Australia India Business Council, Victoria and Author, You Can Communicate; Riding the Elephant; Soft Skills for a Flat World (published by Tata McGraw-Hill INDIA); Communicating Your Personal Brand.
Director, EastWest Academy Pty Ltd and Trainer/Speaker/Mentor in Leadership, Communication and Cross Cultural Communication.
Passionate campaigner for closer western relations with India.
Stephen Manallack is a specialist on “Doing Business with India” and advisor/trainer on “Cross-Cultural Understanding”. He is a Director of EastWest Academy Pty Ltd which provides strategic advice and counsel regarding business relations with India.
A regular speaker in India on leadership and global communication, his most recent speaking tour included a speech to students of the elite Indian university, Amity University, in Noida. He also spoke at a major Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) global summit, the PR Consultants Association of India in Delhi, the Symbiosis University in Pune and Cross-Cultural Training for Sundaram Business Services in Chennai. He has visited India on business missions on 10 occasions and led three major trade missions there. He provides cross-cultural training – Asia and the west.
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Into India 
This is really useful advice for anyone looking to start a business in India. It’s important to remember that local presence is essential, and to be willing to be flexible and blend with the Indian culture. My question is, what are the best ways to get support in India from the State Government Business Offices and Austrade?
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Both Austrade and the State Government offices are ready and available – I would start with a call or an email detailing your needs.
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