Travel Insurance India

Business Practices

Indian businessmen welcome visitors and are very hospitable. . Business people are not expected to dress formally except for meetings and social functions, however, women are expected to dress conservatively. When introduced to someone, wait to see if your host greets you with the traditional Indian greeting in which hands are clasped as if in prayer in front of the chest accompanied by a little bow, or offers a handshake. Business cards are usually exchanged and should be presented with both hands. English is widely used in commercial circles, so there is little need for interpreter and translation services. When eating, visitors should wait to see if their host uses fingers or cutlery, and follow suit (it is essential that only the right hand is used for eating).. Entertaining usually takes place in private clubs. Visitors are asked to remove footwear when entering places of religious worship. The majority of Indians remove their footwear when entering their houses. Because of strict religious and social customs, visitors must show particular respect when visiting someone's home. Many Hindus are vegetarian and many, especially women, do not drink alcohol. Sikhs and Parsees do not smoke. Small gifts are acceptable as tokens of gratitude for hospitality. English-speaking guides are available at a fixed charge at all important tourist centers. Guides speaking French, Italian, Spanish, German, Russian or Japanese are available in some cities.

Crime

Personnel arriving at airports should make arrangements through the "pre-paid taxi" counter, usually located just outside customs. The counter is run by local traffic police and issues a coupon for a taxi ride into town according to the number of bags carried. Participating drivers accept the coupon, and only expect a moderate tip. When meters are not used, customers should ask a local contact for an estimate of the fare to their destination before beginning the inevitable bargaining with the driver. Newcomers should try to get the most detailed directions possible before setting off, since city maps are rudimentary and outdated. Buses are usually overcrowded and are frequented by pickpockets and other petty criminals. Indian cities are crowded and volatile, and petty crime is widespread. Foreigners are most often troubled by pickpockets and snatch-and-run thieves who frequent tourist sites, markets, airports, bus depots and railway stations. Personnel should keep an eye on belongings even in hotel lobbies, and grip handbags and briefcases securely. They should carry only the cash necessary for excursions and keep wallets in inside-jacket or front-trouser pockets. Pickpockets and snatch-and-run thieves commonly key on foreigners in public places and throw all kinds of substances at them to soil their clothing. An accomplice then offers to help the victim, diverting attention from the thief who slips away with whatever he can. Pedestrians should travel in pairs when possible to deter thieves. Calcutta is generally a safer city for pedestrians than New Delhi, but visitors should nonetheless take commonsense precautions and avoid poorly lit areas at night. Be careful when walking city streets; pedestrians are expected to watch out for vehicles, not vice versa. The slum-ridden old city of Delhi is best avoided, especially after dark, when it is the scene of occasional muggings. Violent crime is not much of a threat in Bombay except in the city's seedier areas, in particular the brothel region notorious for its transvestite prostitutes. Personnel in Bombay should avoid Muslim residential areas, which are sometimes targets for gangs of violent Hindu extremists. Gang violence has been a problem in Bombay since a crackdown on the activities of underworld leader Dawood Ibrahim, who lives in Dubai but has been blamed for 13 bomb attacks in Bombay that killed more than 250 people in 1994. Police actions have hamstrung his money-laundering and drug-smuggling activities, sparking new turf battles by gangs for control of various rackets left vulnerable by that crackdown. Foreign residents in New Delhi cluster in houses on the south side of town where senior Indian government officials also reside and which have better security. In Bombay, expatriates favor apartment complexes scattered through the business district. In any city, if residents choose to live in stand-alone houses, they should be surrounded by masonry walls topped by barbed wire to deter intruders. Windows should be securely grilled and all exterior doors should be solid core with strong locks and viewers. Householders commonly hire security guards, known as chowkidars, from private companies, but their training and motivation tend to be poor. The quality of police service varies from city to city. In New Delhi, police are very responsive and provide adequate patrolling of foreign residential areas. Coverage is somewhat less reliable in Calcutta, and worse yet in Bombay, where police corruption is legendary. Criminal and terrorist kidnappings are common in some regions of the country. Kashmiri separatists in the northwestern state of Jammu-Kashmir have victimized numerous foreign tourists and business people. However, kidnappings of foreigners in urban areas is rare. Nevertheless, in 1994 terrorists kidnapped three Britons and an American in New Delhi, demanding 10 Kashmiri militants held by Indian authorities be freed or the captives would be killed. Police rescued the victims and no ransom was paid. In the northeastern state of Assam, Maoist separatists of the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) use the same tactic. In Bihar state, bandit clans frequently kidnap wealthy locals, while in rural areas of Andhra Pradesh state, leftist Naxalite guerrillas have abducted their share of local citizens and police officers. In the New Delhi area, criminals known as goondas frequently kidnap local businessmen for ransom.

Hotels

The Hyatt, Sheraton and Meridien hotels in New Delhi provide good facilities and security for foreign business people, as do hotels of the Taj and Oberoi chains in Calcutta and Bombay, but visitors should still use a safe-deposit box for all valuables. The Indian government's so-called five-star hotels are questionable. Visitors' suitcases often disappear, and the food and water served in them have been blamed for making patrons ill. Secretarial services and fax machines are usually available at major hotels. One of the major inconveniences at Indian hotels is overcharging on long-distance and international telephone calls. "Service charges" can be as much as 100 percent of the public telephone rates. To avoid unpleasant surprises, guests should determine details of hotel policies when they check in. Numerous "IDD/STD Booths" have sprung up in cities to offer better-priced telephone services. For example, there are several in the streets behind Bombay's Taj Mahal hotel.

Communications

Telephone IDD service is available in most areas of India, otherwise calls must be placed through the international operator. The country code is 91 and outgoing international code is 00. Facilities for faxes are available in most 5-star hotels and some offices of the Overseas Communication Service in large cities. International telex/telegram 24-hour service is available from large hotels and telegraphic offices in major cities. Airmail service to Western Europe and North America takes up to a week. Stamps are often sold at hotels.

Electricity

is usually 220 volts AC, 50Hz. Some areas have a DC supply. Plugs used are of the round 2- and 3-pin type. Electricity Usually 220 volts AC, 50Hz. Some areas have a DC supply. Plugs used are of the round two- and three-pin type.

Plug Types

C,D,M

Food And Dining

The unforgettable aroma of India is not just the heavy scent of jasmine and roses on the warm air. It is also the fragrance of spices so important to Indian cooking ? especially to preparing curry. The word ?curry? is an English derivative of kari, meaning spice sauce, but curry does not, in India, come as a powder. It is the subtle and delicate blending of spices such as turmeric, cardamom, ginger, coriander, nutmeg and poppy seed. Like an artist?s palette of oil paints, the Indian cook has some 25 spices (freshly ground as required) with which to mix the recognized combinations or masalas. Many of these spices are also noted for their medicinal properties and, like the basic ingredients, vary from region to region. Although not all Hindus are vegetarians, vegetable dishes are more common than in Europe, particularly in southern India. Broadly speaking, meat dishes are more common in the north. Things to know: Bottled water, essential for visitors, is sold everywhere in India, but make sure the bottles are properly sealed. Restaurants have table service and, depending on area and establishment, will serve alcohol with meals. Most Western-style hotels have licensed bars. Visitors will be issued All India Liquor Permits on request by Indian Embassies/High Commissions, Missions or Tourist Offices. Various states impose prohibition but this may change; check with the Tourist Office for up-to-date information. In almost all big cities in India, certain days in the week are observed as dry days when the sale of liquor is not permitted. Tourists may check with the nearest local tourist office for the prohibition laws/rules prevailing in any given state where they happen to be traveling or intend to travel. National Specialties: ?Dal (crushed lentil soup with various additional vegetables).
? Dahi (the curd or yogurt which accompanies the curry).
? Kulfi (Indian ice cream).
? Rasgullas (cream cheese balls flavored with rose water).
? Gulab Jamuns (flour, yogurt and ground almonds).
? Jalebi (pancakes in syrup).
? Fruit ? mango, pomegranate, melon, apricot, apple and strawberry.
? Pan (betel leaf in which are wrapped spices such as aniseed and cardamom; it is common to finish the meal by chewing Pan as a digestive). Regional Specialties: North: ?Rogan josh (curried lamb).
? Gushtaba (spicy meat balls in yogurt).
? Biryani (chicken or lamb in orange-flavored rice, sprinkled with sugar and rose water).
? Tandoori cooking (chicken, meat or fish marinated in herbs and baked in a clay oven).
? Kebab.
? Flat breads, such as pooris, chapatis and naan. South:
? Bhujia (vegetable curry).
? Dosa, idli and samba (rice pancakes, dumplings with pickles, and vegetable and lentil curry).
? Raitas (yogurt with grated cucumber and mint).
? Coconut is a major ingredient of southern Indian cooking. West coast:
? Mumbai duck (curried or fried bombloe fish).
? Pomfret (Indian salmon).
? Parsi dhan sak (lamb or chicken cooked with curried lentils).
? Vindaloo. Bengali: ?Dahi maach (curried fish in yogurt flavored with turmeric and ginger).
? Malai (curried prawn with coconut). National Drinks:
? Chai (tea) is India?s favorite drink. It will often come ready-brewed with milk and sugar unless ?tray tea? is specified.
? Coffee is increasingly popular.
? Nimbu Pani (lemon drink).
? Lassi (iced buttermilk).
? Coconut milk straight from the nut is cool and refreshing.
? Indian beer (in many varieties).
? Indian-made gin, rum, brandy and wine.
Tipping:
Taxis and restaurants do not expect to be tipped, however, hotel and airport porters should be tipped around Rs20, and guides and drivers Rs100 per day where service is not included (equaling roughly 10 per cent where appropriate). Note There is a veto on the export of antiques, art objects over 100 years old, animal skins and objects made from skins.
Nightlife
India has generally little nightlife as the term is understood in the West, although in major cities a few Western-style shows, clubs and discos are being developed. In most places the main attraction will be cultural shows featuring performances of Indian dance and music. The Indian film industry is the largest in the world, now producing three times as many full-length feature films as the USA. Mumbai (Bombay) and Kolkata (Calcutta) are the country?s two ?Hollywoods?. Almost every large town will have a cinema, some of which will show films in English. Music and dancing are an important part of Indian cinema, combining with many other influences to produce a rich variety of film art. Larger cities may have theaters staging productions of English-language plays.