Mumbai information

Mumbai is India's largest and most multicultural city. It's a tolerant place and its business culture tends to be informal and friendly. Mumbai international airport is an hour's drive from the city centre.

Doing business is a slow process in Mumbai. Getting a document delivered by courier, sending a fax, or simply gathering colleagues for a business meeting can all take far longer than seems reasonable.

The same goes for punctuality: if someone promises to meet you in ten minutes, expect arrival in 20.

Mumbai's traffic is notoriously bad: allow ample time if you need to cross the city to get to a meeting.

A handshake is the most common form of greeting. A man should wait for a woman to extend her hand before extending his, particularly if she is wearing traditional Indian clothing.


Bring plenty of business cards; you will be handing them out frequently, and not having enough is considered rude.

Admitting a job is difficult to get done is often considered rude or weak, this may lead to a tendency to over-promise in an effort to please.

Breakfast meetings are rare; the working day tends to begin around 9.30-10am. Business lunches tend to be leisurely affairs: 90 minutes is not uncommon.

Many Indians are vegetarian for religious reasons. If you have invited someone to dinner, be sure to enquire about their eating habits before ordering.

Alcohol is usually avoided at lunch, less so at dinner. Indian women are not always comfortable drinking in public or being in the company of those who do.

Although the city's official name is now "Mumbai" (and politicians will favour the official term), many people still use "Bombay" in conversation. Go with the flow.

The city's most important festival is Diwali (Festival of Lights) in November. It's considered especially auspicious to start a new business, or seal a deal, at this time.