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UKFEATUREBritishstrategiesaboutengagementwithIndiaareasoldastherelationshipitself.FromtherststrategydepictedbythefrescointheBritishParliamentofSirTomasRoex1cwhobyhisrmnessandcourtesysucceededinlayingthefoundationofBritishinuenceinIndia1614x1ctowellthe2012UKIndiaBusinessCouncilReportx18SuccessfulEngagementStrategiesx19.Thecommonproblemwiththemultitudeofreportsentitledx18DoingbusinessinIndiax19isthattheyalllookidentical.StartwithsomemacroeconomicdataalwaysmentionIndiax19sGDPandtheGoldmanSachsBRICsreportmoveontothebasicpoliticalstructurebecauseyoumaynotknowhowmanyCountiesthereareinBritainbutitbecomessuddenlyimportanttoknowIndiax19sUnionTerritoriesmaybealittleabouttaxratesandcompanystructures.Endwithafewtritequotesincludingwordssuchasx18persistconfusingworthwhilex19.ButhowdoesthathelpSMEsfromBritaindobusinessinIndiaTheissuehaslongstoppedbeingx18whyIndiax19andmovedontox18howIndiax19.Howforbusinesstoprotfrom572millionpeopleunder24x13thebiggestyouthpopulationintheworldHowforBritishbusinesstopositiontodaysothattheyprotfromnowtowhenby2039some90ofIndianswillbepartofitsmiddleclassAfterallpotentialdemandandaspirationdoesnottranslateintoprotabilityx13justaskevenseasonedIndianbusinessmagnatestradingintheirowncountryandwhoknowthenumberofUnionTerritoriesandcultureandtaxstructuresuchasVijayMallyax13sowhathopeforthepotentiallyhaplessdescendentofRoefromBritainTheUKIBCreportpromisestobreakthetritemould.Itseeksspecicx18candidx19insightfromthoseSMEswhohavesucceeded.WhatarethetoptipsfromthisreportTheChallengesx18PerhapstellinglyIndiacontinuestoslowlybutsteadilyriseontheWorldBankx19sx18EaseofDoingBusinessx19rankingsupfrom139in2011to132in2012.x19ButbewarnedasUKIBCprovidesthishelicopterviewx13immediatelyhighlightingthebigwhiteelephantintheroomx13x18Indiaisnodifferentfromanyotherrapidlydevelopingcountrywithpublicsectorcorruptionintheformoffacilitationpaymentsx19.Donx19trushx18Wedidnx19tgotoIndiaopenanofceandwaitforthephonetoring.WeconductedalotofresearchbeforehandandourearlyleadscamefromaUKTIUKIBCdelegationx19saystheChairmanofBenoy.Donx19tjumpinwithbothsandaledfeetSayGetThroughGuidesx18yinyoutx19doesnx19twork.YouneedtosendsomebodyfromUKtocamphereandsetuporalternativelyndsomeonelocallyyoutrust.x19x18Trustx19wasawordthatwasmentionedbyalmosteachcasestudy.PresumablythewarmwelcomingarmsofIndiansatIndiaGateinMumbaiarenotalwaystoembracethebusinesstouristbutsometimestoembracehisnaivetyandsuitcaseofmoney.Youcallitx18outofhoursx19theycallitx18normalx19AsRatanTatadiscoveredthedifferencebetweenUKandIndianworkingstyleswhenheboughtJaguarLandRoverx18hoursofworkaremuchmorelooselydenedsothatmuchbusinessgetsdoneintheeveningsandoverweekends.ThismeanswhentheIndianpartnersdevotetheirattentiontoanissuetheywilloftenbeintouchveryfrequentlyandwillexpectveryswiftresponsesoftenoutofhours.x19saystheUniversityofGreenwich.Indiansusethemobilealotmorethanemails.Formalagendashavetheirplacebutwhenyouareoutofsightitx19simportanttostayinmind.Consultantsdonx19talwayslookatyourwatchandtellyouthetimex18WeappointedasmallconsultancywithexperienceofIndia.TheyputtogetheraplanandputusintouchwithkeypeopleinIndia.Wemetthesekeypeopleattendedexhibitionsandmadefurthercontacts.Itbecameclearweneededtoemployalocalpersonandthenestablishedanofce.x19ThisapproachwascommonforUKSMEstoestablishafoothold.ThereisalotoftalkandlittleactionFromBournvilleCollegex18Thebiggestchallengehasbeenndingtherightpartner.Wewerestaggeredbytheamountofpeoplewhowantedtogettoknowusanddiscussbusinesspossibilities.Howeverwesoonrealizedthatalotoftheseinitialcontactsleadnowhere.x19Meetyourfutureclientsx13burnshoeleatherx18Wevisitedthroughout2011.Thisallowedustomeetmanyofourprospectiveclients.ItalsoallowedustonetworkwithpeersfromoursectorssomethingIwouldrecommendtoeverycompany.x19saidsoftwarecompanyFlexerawhoseclientsincludeTata.OthercasestudiesfocusedonmeetinglocalchaptersofFICCICIINasscomBritishBusinessGroupsx13basicallytheequivalentofwhatabusinesswoulddoinBritainanyway.Sowhatx19sthebiggestproblemAseventhegiantssuchasVodafoneCairnandTescohavediscoveredx18theunclearregulatoryenvironmentisundoubtedlythelargestbarriertoentry.x19saytheUniversityofGreenwich.ThecompanyGrantInstrumentssummeditupwellx18ThetemptationtoseeIndiaasaneasymarketisonewehaveresistedandrealizethatbuildinglongtermrelationshipsiscriticalandthatthismeansyouhavetobepatient.x19TheUKIBCreportasthebodyitselfischargedbybusinessandGovernmenttodoillustratesx18howUKbusinessesx13fromavarietyofsectorsanddeployingarangeofmarketengagementmodelsx13aresucceedinginIndia.x19Thereportisanexcellentstart.Inowwanttoseefromthemmanymorecasestudiesandevenmorepenetratingdetailwithinterviewees.Andmostimportantlysomethingnoreporthaseverdoneinterviewswiththosethatfailed.Asbusinesspeoplewilltellyouthisisusuallymorevaluablethanknowledgeofacountryx19sGDP.nAlpeshPatel-MemberUKIndiaRoundtable2000-5TrusteeChathamHouseBoardMemberUKIndiaBusinessCouncilauthorofthirteenbooksoninvestingincludingx18TheMindofATraderx19SPECIALREPORT