When you think of India, what comes to mind?

Many people will tell you what they immediately associate India with: the food, “Bollywood”, the Taj Mahal, the Ganges River, and most likely they will mention the infamous “call centers”. Typically, that’s as far as it goes, but despite what you think you know India is a place unlike any other. India is a dramatic country, full of life, color, languages, and people. India will be B&A’s focus country for this month’s newsletter.

Demographics
First off, India will stun you with its immense size, culture, and diversity. Officially known as the republic of India, it is a sovereign country in Southeast Asia. New Delhi is the capital of India, the main hub for most who travel to India and known for its chaotic vibe. India is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second most populous country, and the most populous liberal democracy in the world. India is a country full of amazing scenery, and can be divided into five physical units: The Great Mountains of the North, The North Indian Plain, The Peninsular Plateau, The Coastal Plains, and The Islands. India has a wealth of history and host’s amazing wildlife, (the Panthera Tiger for instance) and a variety of protected habitats. This is due to its location in the African, Euro-Asian and Oriental realm.

Culture
To many Indian culture stands out unlike any other culture. Known for their genuine hospitality, Indian people are willing to give or sacrifice anything for their guests. Indian culture has close ties to its cuisine, which is famous for its wonderful curry’s and its delectable use of spices. These dishes will vary between Northern India and Southern India. Another aspect of Indian culture is its music, ranging from the classical North Indian Hindustani music to the South Indian Carnatic music. The cuisines, the music, the literature, the festivals are all special in this awe striking land.

The Film Industry
The Indian film industry is one of the largest in the world. Of course, we are talking about Mumbai-based “Bollywood”, which produces commercial hits including one of the author’s favorites “Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam”. India is the largest producer of feature films in the world. These films often embody and portray feelings, situations, and emotions “Hollywood” hasn’t even touched base with.

Tradition
One of the most amazing things about India is that despite how drastically time has changed things, its people continue to follow their own traditions and values. This doesn’t mean they aren’t willing to embrace new ones, they just don’t let other customs change theirs. Parents are still valued and children hold them in high esteem. Keeping in tradition, most Indians still wear the Indian garb, which includes the sari for women and the lungi or dhoti for men.

Business & Economy
Many should take note of India, and what it has to offer both culturally and economically. As per the recent World Development Indicators issued by the World Bank, India is the world’s fourth largest economy in terms of purchasing power parity. India has made rapid economic progress in the last decade, and has made steady economic progress over the last few decades. By conventional calculations, India’s gross national income is $ 804 billion, but it translates into $ 4.156 trillion PPP (purchasing power parity). India has a labor force of 509.3 million, and is a large importer and exporter of goods, agriculture, and services. The goods that India produces include rice, wheat, oilseed, and sugarcane among many other things. India is also known for exporting software and technological services. This is because there are many educated English speaking Indian individuals suitable for this type of field. Many proactive companies have already started exploring India and what it has to offer. These companies have invested millions in India, and they are reaping the benefits.

Language
Among other interesting things about India is the fact that due to its linguistic diversity, there is no official language. Instead, each state or region has its official language; the constitution officially recognizes 22 regional languages. English and Hindi are, however, the two National languages, most commonly used for official purposes, usually in business or for federal matters. Other languages that are spoken in India include Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, Gujarati, Marathi, Nepali, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, Sanskrit, and Urdu just to name a few.

India’s business and economy are waiting to be explored, however many businesses already have. Business in India is booming and future expansion is near to come. Many companies according to “Businessworld magazine” depend on doing business in India. US businesses do well in realizing that communicating with Indian people efficiently and effectively is a major step in further expanding their business.