Understanding India — 5,000 Years of History, Business Etiquette, and a Less Stressful Adaptive Mindset

It is surprisingly recent that the Indian peninsula was effectively unified into one country. This happened after Britain established the Indian Empire in the 19th century. Until then, India was closer to a 'collection of countries' where numerous kingdoms, peoples, and languages ​​coexisted. Even today, the majority of the population speaks Indo-European languages, but speakers of Dravidian languages ​​also account for about 30% of the total, or over 400 million people. Languages ​​that are completely incommunicable coexist in one country.

Behind the seemingly complex personality and culture of Indians, there are layers of history as shown below.

Even if you just keep this table in your head, it will explain half of the 'incomprehensible situations' you encounter in India. The meeting culture that emphasizes hierarchy, flexibility in administrative channels, and never-ending discussions are all the result of history.

The key to understanding the Indian people after thousands of years of invasion and fusion boils down to three things.

1. Diversity is the default

For Indians, ‘difference’ is not an exception but a natural premise. The moment you judge India by one standard, you fall into a maze. The ability to think “maybe” is the first survival skill in Indian life.

2. Spirit of Jugaad

The Hindi word 'jugad' means 'to find a means and method somehow' or 'a temporary solution'. Enduring a harsh environment and a history of scarcity, Indians have developed ad hoc problem-solving skills. Unlike the Korean style, which starts with a perfect plan, the Indian standard is to implement it and then make changes. If you accept this as ‘competence in a different way’ rather than ‘sloppyness’, collaboration becomes much easier.

3. Time is not a straight line but a cycle

For Indians, who have a long history with the idea of ​​reincarnation, time is close to the concept of circulation. This is the point where it directly clashes with the Korean’s ‘Palari, Ppalli’. Assuming that the sense of dealing with deadlines and promises is different, please take patience as your basic equipment.

The success or failure of living as an expatriate in India ultimately depends on ‘how you work with Indian colleagues and partners.’ These are the characteristics and responses commonly cited by Koreans who have actually worked in the field.

All seven have one common denominator. India isA society where people and relationships take precedence over systemsThat is. If you understand this principle, you can read the board in a conference room or at an apartment contract table.

The stress of living in India often comes not from India but from ‘me, who has not been able to abandon Korean standards.’ Here are 10 adaptation strategies learned by Koreans who have lived in Korea for a long time.

1. “Why are you like this?” Instead, “This is how it is”— Everything seems irrational at first, but India is a society that runs on a different system. Changing your mindset from “Why am I so slow?” to “This speed is normal here” will greatly reduce your stress.
2. There is no certainty, there are always variables.— In India, commitments are not final but ‘in progress’. It's not that things are wrong, it's just that things are inherently fluid.
3. Don't try to finish it all at once— In Korea, you say something once and it's over, but in India, you say it several times to begin. Repetition is not an inefficiency, it is a necessary process.
4. People are above the system— Results vary depending on the person rather than the regulations, and what is important is who you ask for the same task. Relationships are often the solution rather than logic.
5. Focus on situation, not time— Transportation, weather, family, and religious events are all variables. It's not too late, things have changed.
6. Reduce control range— Distinguish between what you can control (your schedule, your reactions, your choices) and what you cannot (other people's speed, systems, transportation, administration), and boldly turn off your attention to what you cannot change.
7. Lower expectations = increase satisfaction— Expecting 100% in Korea is stressful, but expecting 60% in India is satisfactory. Adjusting expectations is not giving up, it is an adaptive strategy.
8. Pass it off with humor— One thing that people who have lived in India for a long time have in common is that they tend to laugh a lot. In situations that make no sense, it is better to laugh it off.
9. No comparisons, especially with Korea.— If you keep applying Korean standards, you will continue to be unhappy. I am the one who decided to live here.
10. See also the good points— Thanks to low labor costs, it is easy to get a variety of help, English is fluent, and it is a growing market with many opportunities. It's hard to endure if you only look at the shortcomings. Balance is the answer.

These are details learned by actual residents that are more helpful today than grand cultural theories.

• Receipt is confirmed on the spot— In restaurants and supermarkets, there are times when different order quantities are entered or receipts from different tables or customers are delivered. The habit of checking once after payment saves your money.
• Keep receipts in photos— In India, paper receipts sometimes have letters erased over time. For home appliances and electronic products, take a photo of the receipt immediately after purchase, and for products purchased online from Amazon or Flipkart, print the invoice or save it separately as a PDF to ensure free service within the warranty period.
• How home appliances work differently after a power outage— Some washing machines and home appliances imported from Korea reset their operation when electricity is turned on after a power outage. On the other hand, some products sold in India have a function that continues the previous operating state even after a power outage, taking local power conditions into account.
• Delhi winter fog and flights— New Delhi experiences frequent delays and cancellations of early morning and early morning flights due to winter fog from December to January. For business trips to other cities during this period, it is safer to travel the day before or take an afternoon flight.
• Not all street cows are ownerless cows.— Some have actual owners, and in rural areas or outskirts of cities, the practice of releasing them during the day and then taking them back remains a practice. The reason for the large number of cows is the result of a combination of Hindu culture, restrictions on slaughter, and the burden of raising costs.
• The thread bracelet on your wrist has meaning.— The Hindu Kalava and Mauli are often worn after visiting a temple to pray for health and good luck, while the Sikh metal bracelet Kara is often worn at all times as it symbolizes faith and a righteous life. It is polite not to comment on or touch a colleague's bracelet.

Indian public holidays, check here

Public holidays in India are divided into National Holidays, Gazetted Holidays, Restricted/Optional Holidays and State Holidays.

Before making a visit or work plan, be sure to check the official holiday schedule of the relevant institution and refer to the Indian government's official holiday calendar (india.gov.in/calendar).