UK to learn Indian etiquette lessons

The U.K. India Business Council will run the first of a series of classes on Tuesday, offering tips on how to bow graciously, smile politely and refrain from kissing women.
Around 30 executives will attend the briefing at the UKIBC headquarters in London. The organisation, which receives £1 million of U.K. Government funding annually, is to set up offices in Mumbai and Delhi.

The etiquette lessons come in response to a growing trend of Indian companies recruiting Britons and U.K. companies seeking to establish a presence in the country.

UKIBC, whose advisory board includes Sir Richard Branson and Sir Martin Sorrell, says there are 32,000 Britons in India.

UKIBC chief executive Sharon Bamford said: “The U.S. and Japan are already well established in India but there’s a feeling that if Britain does not get properly involved soon they will be missing the boat. Business in India is all about trust. If you make a wrong move culturally you can throw away your chances.”