After working across India–Australia engagement, I’ve seen a consistent pattern. Many global businesses don’t struggle in India due to lack of opportunity, but due to avoidable assumptions.

Here are three that stand out for me::

• Underestimating Capability: There is often an implicit assumption that India lacks quality systems, governance, or sophistication.

  In reality, India operates at a level of scale, complexity, and innovation that is hard to replicate. Entering with this bias doesn’t just limit partnerships, it prevents you from unlocking real competitive advantage

• Applying Western Frameworks Without Localisation India does not respond to 'copy-paste' strategies.

  Regulations, pricing sensitivities, consumer behaviour, and relationship dynamics vary not just nationally, but state by state, city by city.

  When businesses fail to adapt, they don’t just struggle, they lose credibility.

• 3Misreading Culture as Optics Surface-level engagement, whether it’s referencing iconic landmarks or curated experiences, does not translate into market understanding.

  India is not a cultural checklist. It is a relationship-driven, trust-based ecosystem where credibility is built over time.

What Actually Works?

From my experience, successful market entry in India requires:

• Deep localisation of strategy beyond national averages, into regional realities

• Strong, trusted local partnerships not transactional, but long-term

• Respect for regulatory complexity especially at the state level

• Genuine engagement with the market’s aspirations not assumptions

A Practical Insight

Recently, while advising a wine exporter, one question changed their entire approach:

Instead of asking, 'How do we sell wine in India?' I asked them to being by researching, 'What does the emerging young consumer in cities like Mumbai actually aspire to?

With over 20% of the population being young, urban, and increasingly global in outlook, the opportunity is not just about product, but positioning, lifestyle, and experience.

India doesn’t reward those who generalise, it rewards those who understand.

Be rest assured, this applies to both local and foreign companies.

As India becomes more central to global supply chains and economic growth, the question is no longer whether to engage, but how.

And getting the 'how' right makes all the difference.