Speaking of Indians, I have a question that may end up hijacking this thread.

Years ago in England, I ran into many "Western-oriented Gentlemen" and began learning about Hinduism. I even tried vegetarianism, myself, for some time. I never had a problem with Indians. I always found them lucid, responsive, and easy to be with.

Then, about 18 months ago, someone on one of the Jakarta expat forums made some casual, but disparaging remarks about doing business with Indians. This, then, became a thread and several more expats chimed in with stories that painted Indian business people in a bad light.

My first reactions were "that's not true or, at least, not my experience". I figured it was just a case of "expat sour grapes" for being bested in some business deals gone wrong. Still, the added forum remarks were a little too vehement and a few too many to be just coincidental.

Kebetulan, about six months later, I had a short negotiation with an Indian businessman in Jakarta. This was for some project services - more than price bartering in a store. I noticed how "galak" he was when it came to the normal give-and-take in most business affairs that could have benefitted both parties.

Then, even more recently, I had extended business dealings with Indians, outside Indonesia. Suffice to say, I came out the apparent second-best. Some large promises made weren't kept. It was as if these Indians weren't concerned with any issues larger than the win/lose of the immediate deal. It all seemed kind of like tunnel vision and shortsighted to me. My loss isn't the point. I have even learned a few new tricks about business from this.

To add to this, my wife reminded me of a story I'd forgotten where, for the only time in her mother's life, as a young wife, she was cheated out of all her saved money by - who else? - an Indian.

QUESTION: are these personal events merely chance encounters (of the Third Kind)? Or do Indian businessmen really have the scruples of weasels?

Obviously, this is an open invitation to slander an entire culture and its nation - the second(?) largest in the world, too! Still, since those first Jakarta forum remarks I have run head first into some behavioral patterns I'd never noticed.

What you you think?

Dear Friends,

Am Rajan from singapore. Born brought up in india moved
to singapore 10years back because of business culture
there. 98% percent indians all dishonest people they dont
keep their words, recently went to india for a big companies
deal their people promised me my travel fairs once i go down
they all run away and hide and change their words from what
they said. Even though india is economicaly stronger the people
dont know what is meaning of business ethics. As i know
what ever they make money they never enjoy all they save it
and die one day. they will tell everybody their four generation
without work can sit and eat at home. If you invite for a
written agreement in business they will run beyond the place
always beating around the bush never come to an end. In the
name of making decisions many indian companies still sleeping.
To change them is difficult better to keep away from them other
wise bill them onspot then start your business. Otherwise you
will loss they will win for their generation not for themself.