Indians are very good hosts and will therefore, invite you to their homes and indulge in personal talk often. All this is very much a part of business. One is expected to accept the invitation gracefully. Taking a box of sweets, chocolates or a simple bouquet of flowers would definitely be a welcome gesture. Indians respect people who value their family. They will allow family to take priority over work, whenever necessary.
Business clothing is casual but neat. Standard attire for men is pants and short-sleeved shirts; however, a jacket should be worn to initial meetings or when seeing government officials. For more formal meetings and during the cooler season a lightweight suit will suffice. Women should wear casual dresses or pants ensembles. It is acceptable for foreign women to wear the traditional sari (Indian women in particular admire foreigners who do so), but wear a sari only if you feel comfortable in one. Women should always dress conservatively. Women should not wear skirts that rise above the knee, and should never wear a sleeveless dress or blouse.
Humor in the work place is something that some Indians are not used to. Most traditional Indians are vegetarians, so their eating habits need to be respected. Westernized Indians are more outgoing and do socialize and drink. Nonverbal communication is important in every society. Problems arise when two cultures meet, and the physical nonverbal signal means one thing in one culture and has quite another meaning in the other culture. In India, shaking the head from side to side is a visual way to communicate to the speaker that you understand what they are saying and in many cases that you agree with them. On the other hand, in the American culture this is how disagreement and a definite "no" is conveyed. Indian culture does not have a nonverbal way to express "no" because they are so kind that they have no verbal way of saying "no."
Indians value punctuality in others, but will often be late themselves. Also, traffic is extremely heavy in Indian cities and sometimes prevents people from getting to an appointment at all. Schedule appointments well in advance and reconfirm them. Most meetings will begin with pleasant small talk over a cup of tea and perhaps food. To be polite, one should not refuse any food or drink offered. Business Gifts are not normally expected at the first meeting. Gifts may be given once a relationship with your counterpart develops. Suggested gifts could be: Imported Whiskey (only if the recipient drinks), pens, ties, calculators, desk accessories, etc. Gifts made in the U.S.