Ten Tips for NRIs Returning to India

chillibreeze writer — Nitin Sundar

A country blessed with exceptional human capital, governed by exceptionally corrupt politicians! A country where the plushest of localities and high-rises share space with slums. A country where the speed of people’s speech is inversely proportional to the speed at which the bureaucracy functions. The cliché - ‘bundle of contradictions’- is grossly insufficient to define India, a nation given to extremes. You have probably heard several ‘India Shining’ stories predicting how your country of birth is set to become the next big superpower. The reality is that, though the country has developed a lot since the time you left for abroad, it is still a very challenging country to live in. Fasten your seatbelts! Here are a few tips to make your return to India smoother.

The first picture of India
Your first sight of India will be a long, unruly, poorly managed queue at the airport immigration. It stands for every new, shocking thing that you will encounter in India. Get used to inefficiency: at least half the available counters will be unmanned, while the others will be overflowing with irate, tired passengers who have been waiting in line for more than 30 minutes. Get used to people trying to cut corners: there will be the odd hustler trying to break the line and get ahead. Often, queues won’t be one clear line, but will branch out into five or more sub-queues near the counter with several people at once trying to catch the attention of the lazy immigration official. Get used to unforeseen delays: just as you are about to reach the head of your line, the official at the counter will put up a “not in service” banner to take a break. Welcome to India!

Watch what you consume
It may have been a long time since you dug into authentic pani puri, but resist the temptation to try out the stuff at a roadside stall. Chances are that the food is not the cleanest. Also, your immune system is not likely to be as robust as it would be for resident Indians. You may be used to drinking water straight from the tap in the country you are coming from but don’t attempt that in India! Always drink boiled or packaged drinking water to protect yourself from water-borne diseases. Purchase a water purifier system for your home.

Finding your way around
India’s roads are arterial, potholed streets clogged with far too many vehicles. Navigating them requires an innate awareness of one-ways, speed-bumps, long-winding routes, diversions that defy logic, and most importantly, a road sense that cannot have been learnt in a foreign country! Buy a car, and to begin with at least, hire a driver. Always chart out your routes before going somewhere. The country is not yet completely mapped for GPS systems, but Google Maps does a great job.

Choosing a place to stay
Once you’ve traveled the roads, you know India is a commuter’s nightmare. Long drives are not fun in India’s busy cities, with infrastructure bursting at its seams and everyone in a hurry to get somewhere. Save yourself, your spouse, and children the hassle by living some place close to work and school. House rentals are directly proportional to the locality, but the extra bucks spent on rent will save you a lot of stress and time. Some people end up spending upwards of four hours a day commuting the 15 km to and from work! Don’t be one of them if you can help it.

The other thing to consider while deciding on a house is the accessibility to amenities. The bigger cities now have gated communities that house everything within the apartment complex, starting from a grocery shop to a multiplex! If that is out of your budget, choose wisely. Check the surroundings for access, proximity to public transport, and other facilities. It is good to stay near a main road, but it also means you might be exposed to noise and air pollution. Last, and most crucial, ensure your house has adequate security. Most big apartment complexes come with 24-hour security, but if yours does not, hire your own watchman.

Setting things up
In India, you may have to jump through hoops to set up some of the most basic things that you took for granted in the West. Thankfully, some sectors have seen big improvements in efficiency thanks to the entry of private players – mobile telephony and internet connectivity, for instance. For others, you may be forced to follow outmoded procedures, and visit government offices filled with inefficient people. Getting a cooking gas connection is tough; getting your cylinder replaced when you run out of gas is tougher. India’s cities experience power cuts now and then, which is bad enough. Worse, in some cities like Bangalore, there are organized power interruptions for upto four hours a day in order to adjust for shortages in power production.

Repatriate your savings from abroad
Transferring your money to an Indian account is not as straightforward as it should be, thanks to potential differences in taxation policy. India has signed double taxation treaties with most countries, which exempts you from paying tax in India, on money that has already been taxed abroad. However, this requires you to deposit your foreign savings in certain types of Indian accounts. There are three broad options to choose from, namely NRI account, NRE account and FCNR account. The first two save your money in Rupees, while the latter keeps it in the original foreign currency – a good option if you have plans of returning abroad, or want to protect against fluctuating exchange-rates.

Make an investment plan
Once your money is in India, ensure that it is not sitting idle. Making investments is an affliction with Indians, from the lower middle class to the upwardly mobile and the most affluent, and with good reason. Rising prices have forced the government to peg bank interest rates much higher than you would have got used to in the West. India’s rising population has contributed to a continuing hike in real estate and property prices, and it is always a good investment option, even if you need to stay in another rented house. There is a whole host of investment tools – mutual funds, insurance schemes, ULIPs, SIPs, ELSSs etc. – and some of them help reduce the tax burden. Once your set-up costs are met, chart out your investment plan, taking into account your savings, the income you will earn in India, and regular expenditure costs. Hire an investment advisor – you will not regret it.

Get used to the Indian culture and way of life
Shocked by the variety of sweets served on a platter before dinner while visiting your uncle? Do you get stared at or elicit strange comments for hugging your better half, or worse, someone else in public? Ever been asked how much you earn by a random family friend, regardless of the large number of complete strangers sitting at the table? Frazzled by the way people dress for weddings? Don’t panic! Resident Indians are, to a large extent, conservative, extravagant, indiscreet, and given to external appearances.

You don’t have to eat all the sweets on offer, though the host will go to great lengths to force it down your throat. In the West, you may be expected to throw a return party at your place, once you have been invited over by a friend. In India, it is the other way round – people will take offence if you don’t visit their place after they visited yours for dinner! Getting used to the people who stay in India is almost as much effort as getting used to the country itself. You will figure them out in a while, but until then, check the dos and don’ts with a close friend or confidant.

Lose the accent
Prices in India are, almost always, open to negotiation. If the seller perceives you to be from abroad, he will assume your price sensitivity to be lesser than the average native Indian. For instance, the auto driver who normally charges Rs. 50 would demand Rs. 300 from you for the same fare if he knows you are an NRI! As far as possible, don’t betray the fact that you are one.

Find a way to be healthy
People in India, especially the older generation, are not really into eating healthy. Food is a major indulgence - rich sweets, snacks laden with trans-fats and late calorie-laden dinners are a way of life. Wheat and rice are staples in India, and a light lunch could involve wolfing down six rotis with lentils, a full serving of fried potatoes and a plate of curd rice! Indian recipes, by and large, leave most vegetables and meats overcooked, killing the natural nutrients and replacing them with an overdose of spices and oil. Salads and soups are not meals by themselves, but trifling accompaniments to the main course!

Don’t subscribe to India’s dietary style whole-heartedly - there are many things that are good about Indian cooking, so assimilate those while ensuring your meal is balanced. Indians also take their fitness for granted. The upwardly mobile don’t always follow a fitness regime but gymming is just about catching on. People over 40, once saddled with lifestyle diseases, reluctantly resort to 20-minute morning walks. Don’t let yourself become lazy in India. Harsh weather and infrastructure may interfere with outdoor sports options, but air-conditioned gyms are all over the place.

Despite all the problems, India is a great country to live in, provided you are well-prepared. I hope these tips will ensure your landing in India is not rough. Happy relocating!

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Chillibreeze's disclaimer: This is a contributed article and was published on Chillibreeze in April, 2011. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the views of Chillibreeze as a company. Chillibreeze has a strict anti-plagiarism policy. Please contact us to report any copyright issues related to this article. The relevance of the facts and figures cited (if any) could change after a period of time.

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—About our writer:

Nitin is an engineer with an MBA degree who has worked in high finance and in strategy consulting, before exiting the corporate world to pursue his passion - the written word. He brings to the table a curious mind and an eclectic world view, having worked for clients spanning six different countries and cultures. He currently resides in India and forms refreshingly original opinions on everything under the sun.

Ten Tips for NRIs Returning to India

chillibreeze writer — Nitin Sundar

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