Doing Business in India For Dummies®

Choosing a Business Address

New Delhi, India’s capital, is a premier business destination. It happens to be adjacent to the city of Agra, the home of the Taj Mahal, which is one of the wonders of the modern world. The dazzling white marble structure is actually a tomb that a Moghul Emperor built in memory of his beloved queen.

So wouldn’t a view of the Taj be nice? Well, yes it would, but unfortunately, you can’t see the Taj Mahal from any office window in New Delhi, but it’s still an amazing business hub. And many other Indian cities throughout the country are equally or even more popular with overseas businesspeople. These locations are attractive for logistic factors as well as financial considerations (many offer tax concessions) and also for the availability of a skilled work-force. Choosing a site with the best business view is vital for success in India.

In this section, you gain a closer understanding of the cities of India from a business point of view, what they’re called—the old names and the new and what their advantages are.

Exploring India’s business landscape

The Indian government classifies India’s cities as Tier I, II, or III, based primarily on population, infrastructure, and spending power. However, this classification system can change a bit based on other business-related criteria such as investment concessions, work culture, manpower, and raw material availability. ...