India is India. I have to remind a lot of people in my company that India is a 5,000-year-old civilization, as opposed to America, which is only 225 years old. It is a deep-rooted culture that has evolved over centuries. I tell my colleagues, rather than teaching India to play by your rules, let’s try thinking about how to play by India’s rules. If you decide to venture into India, you have to change and adapt — don’t expect the whole country to change. Work in India, as Indians do: That is the only way for business to succeed in India. As long as you understand that each culture works differently, and show respect for it, you are going to be fine.
To begin with, it is not easy to go to a new country and set up operations there. We have been in India for the last 40 years, so it is not new for us to work with India. What is new is to have an office in India and operate physically from there. In 1995, we began our country operations there, keeping in mind the huge potential India represents. The last six years have been a learning experience both for Boeing and me, as President of India operations. I have learnt many lessons, some of which I would like to share here.

Any discussion on this issue is incomplete without an acknowledgement of the fact that the economic climate of the country has changed beyond recognition since liberalization began in early 1990-91. Though some critics may argue about the pace, nobody can argue about the direction. In the few short years after these changes were initiated, foreign investments in India have begun to pay off, luring more and more MNC’s to set up operations in India.

But every MNC has to remember that India is a place for long-term investment, not an initiative that you do for a year and expect returns. In third-world emerging markets such as India, you will never make it if you are craving instant gratification. It just does not happen. This logic extends to all industries, not just airlines. In every case, you have to invest and be patient. Patience is a great requirement for doing business in India. SEE THE SYSTEM FROM THE INSIDE
It is important to be perceived as an insider, not a mercenary outsider. If the community sees you as one of them, you’ll have a better chance of success. We have tried to make the most of every opportunity to become a part of the Indian social and economic fabric. The idea is to give back to the community and economy. You have to build inroads into the local industry and tap into local talent. We did a fair amount of work in India by having HAL in Bangalore build doors for our 757s, and some parts for 747s, and some sections of tail for the 777s. We gave them the technology and trained some of their people. The message was loud and clear: We may be Boeing, but Boeing India is part of India. That is the important message you can communicate. That said, since we were in a specialized sector it was easier for us to get acceptance. Things may not be so easy for the Cokes and KFCs of the world. In high-tech, the policies and attitude are pretty liberal. CUSTOMER FOCUS