Introduction to India

This blog is to be presented to Invest NI on behalf of a Business Advisor exploring International Trade in a global environment in which SME’s operate. The challenges and opportunities for global growth in India will be identified, as well as the advantages that trading blocs/ agreements have on India will also be identified. This blog will support SME’s on becoming international and will hopefully offer them some advice on expanding and exporting. 

India is located in South Asia, between Pakistan, China and Nepal. India is bordered on the North by the world’s highest mountain chain which are known as the Himalayas. India is bordering the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal between Burma and Pakistan. The total length of India’s coastline is 7516.6 KM. (Maps of India, 2017) 

The capital of India is New Delhi where about 13 million people live, however the largest cities in India are Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata. 

India is the seventh largest country in the world and the second most populous country with a population of 1.370 billion people (Worldometers, 2019).

The president of India is Ram Nath Kovind. Ram Nath Kovind was picked by an electoral college to become president in July 2017. He is a Supreme Court lawyer and has earned widespread respect as the governor of the northern state of Bihar. India’s presidency is largely ceremonial, but can play a significant role if, for example, no party wins an outright majority in national elections. The Prime Minster of India is Narendra Modi. India is the largest democracy in the world, they have two legislative houses which are Council of States and House of the People. 

India is known mainly for being an agricultural country, although it does have a large iron and steel industry. They produce nearly every type of manufactured goods.  

India is home to many world famous attractions such as the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, India Gate, and Hawa Mahal. India is a geographically diverse land that enjoys almost all the physical features and geographical locations, from the monolithic mountains of the Himalayas to the Golden Sands of the Thar Desert, as well as the snow-capped mountains to pristine sandy beaches. States of Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Kerala, Goa, Uttaranchal and Tamil Nadu are all famous for their exciting attractions and are visited by millions of travellers from all over the world. (Jessie on a journey, 2018)

India is a birthplace to a few of the major world religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism. India is known for its vast and dynamic culture. India is home to one of the oldest civilizations in the world. Architecture in India has evolved through countless centuries due to the influence of the various dynasties and civilizations that have flourished in the region. The historical and archaeological sites have been recognised by as world heritage sites by UNESCO. (Jessie on a journey, 2018)

India has a number of recipes which are native to the different regions. India is called the land of spices, no other country in the world produces as many varieties of spices as India, some of the common spices include cumin, turmeric, onion, ginger and garlic. India is the second most populous country in the world, therefore, food, language and culture are very much varied from one region to another. A common thread among most regions and dishes is the heavy use of spices or curries. In Northern India curries are thick and moderately spicy and creamy, in comparison to the cuisine of Southern India where the curries are the hottest. Eastern India is known for using mustard oil and paste for their dishes, whereas in the West they are very diverse and mainly vegetarian. (Reference, 2019)

India being on the forefront of world civilization is famous for its various performing arts and especially the classical India music. Music is a very important part of the Indian society and many notable world musicians have originated from India since the ancient times. The music usually performed is that using Indian stringed and percussion instruments. Indian dance arts a few of the most complex and expressive dance forms in the world. (Jessie on a journey, 2018)