An unflattering image of India in Europe

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Article de The Hindu - Business Line - MOHAN MURTI

The Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, overshadowed most other European news last week. The forum deliberated numerous issues of pressing global importance, including the long-running European debt crisis and topics beyond Europe's troubles, such as leadership, values, jobs and inequality.

However, the overpowering feeling this writer got at this year's meeting was one of dull, sombre restraint — given the basic structural challenges confronting world leaders from all walks of life.

As in each year, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) did a magnificent job promoting ‘brand India' through networking meetings and dinner discussions. On the sidelines, a lady brand ambassador charged with the task of trying to ‘brand' the Indian state was back again at the ‘India Adda' — doling out hot chai with samosas and appetising chutney in the middle of icy, sub-zero temperatures.

I wrote in my column, exactly a year ago (Brand India in Davos, February 7, 2011) and I quote this again as nothing seems to have changed, even a year later — “Europeans and the rest of the West are very much aware of India's potential. The world knows that India is a talented country. But, they would continue to be wary of the country unless the current crop of …political leadership shows remorse and starts rebranding itself”.

At this Swiss mountain resort, it is apparent that while there is zest for India's long-term prospects, international business and political leaders did not have India on top on their high-priority agenda.

Echoing the view is Raghuram Rajan, Professor of Finance at the University of Chicago's Booth School of Business and also currently an economic advisor to the Prime Minister of India, who said in Davos: “It's very clear that the outside world is rethinking the India story”.

Davos, in any case, is about backroom meetings, not about what you hear or say on stage or, from journalists. I too had my share of these in plenty — from attending prim and proper sessions at the Congress centre to exclusive, casual bilateral meetings.

Here is feedback on what the rest of the world thinks of us.

Evading Real Issues

In the official programme, there were two India sessions. I was inquisitive, and so decided to attend at least one. Peculiarly, the session had more snoopy, curious desis like me from the Indian subcontinent sitting in the audience than vidhesis.

The three-quarter hour discussions ranged from the failed trickle-down effects of the India's growth story, the all-pervasive systemic corruption, to the overstretched, obsolete infrastructure and, the ticking demographic time bomb. Facts well known to all. Left me wondering if we needed a Davos session to re-discover these?

Perhaps, yes. Because, just then, the CEO of a global powerhouse in electrical engineering, a top investor in India, stood up and asked a pertinent question — about the maze-like red tape and bewildering delays in obtaining government approvals. The political expert in the panel cleverly dodged the question leaving the top investor all the more baffled.

And sadly, amid nodding heads, the key takeaway for participants from the session was that India has more mobile phones than toilets!

I have been attending Davos for over a decade. Every year, the same questions are posed in every India session. And the same excuses are dished out by our political leaders to hide our failures.

We are seen by the world as a nation that is always covering up shortcomings with excuses. When will India stop being a ‘nation of excuses' and start showing results?

Let me now turn to the European caricature of Indians.

I got this picture during my private interactions in Davos, not only with the business, political elite but ordinary people — chauffeurs, cooks, waiters and bartenders.

The common disparaging comments I heard were about the attitude and rude behaviour of Indians. That Indians are arrogant, disrespectful, blatantly selfish, egocentric, greedy, untrustworthy, fallacious and excessively talkative.

Overly talkative? This is a fact. Look at how we behave in any serious discussion in Parliament or, any television channel. We talk too much and, too fast. We shout and shriek at each other. We speak, all at the same time.

Rising Rudeness

Many people I chatted with in the service industry told me that clientele from India generally tend to be the most demanding, rude and unappreciative customers. Most Indians never tipped. And never express gratitude.

The simple truth is that rudeness amongst Indians is on the rise and, at almost contagion levels.

While I have been caught in its cross-fire too many times, I was surprised to hear from waiters in the breakfast room in my Davos hotel about the unkind behaviour of Indians, on the whole. This impression is spreading like wildfire across Europe and, with no water to souse it. Obviously, India needs to go beyond serving deep-fried savouries with tangy chutney and chai to meet global expectations.

(The author is a former Europe Director, CII and lives in Cologne, Germany. blfeedback@thehindu.co.in)