Having just returned from a successful group market visit to India, it is amazing to me how much opportunity really exists there now that my eyes are even more open to it.  Especially in the homeland security sector, this is very sensitive, and thus difficult to penetrate, but with the natural rapprochement between India and the United States, with India growing  and establishing a “non-traditional defense” agency, and with the high level of expertise we have in defense technologies here in Virginia, this relationship will only get closer and closer.

 Something to bear in mind in all foreign markets, but particularly in India, is that you really cannot impose your own way of doing business or expectations on your potential partners and customers.  If you want to sell to them, you have to adapt to them, and in most of the rest of the world, business is done via developed and trusted relationships, not just based off of a quick cost/benefit analysis.  This is particularly true in India, where circles of trust, relationships, and slow, thoughtful, and carefully deliberated, democratic decision-making is the norm, so to be successful there, you absolutely must adjust your mental timeline for business “benchmarks.”

 In the meantime, more flexible International Traffic in Arms Regulations for India, more U.S. military acquisitions by the Indian Defense Research and Development Organization, and an infinite creation and expansion of a security agency, mean infinite possibilities for Virginia firms.

 The easiest way to penetrate the Indian market for any sector, and especially for homeland security, is to find a good, trusted, established partner locally who can help you navigate the often opaque system.    The easiest way to do this is by going there, meeting with candidates, and seeing who meets your qualifications and who has a naturally complementary offering of services and products.  The relationship has to be win-win in order for it to thrive in the long-term.  And, the easiest and most hassle-free way to be able to do this is through one of the VEDP market visits annually to India, the next one scheduled for February 2012.  During our group market visits, we identify, vet, screen, and set up meetings for you throughout the week, as well as arrange for all of the logistics.  Are there hiccups?  Yes.  Is it seamless?  No.  But it is pretty darn close, and considering the  fact that the cost is low and partially subsidized by the VEDP, and considering the minimal time and effort required on your part, it is about as good as it gets, especially in the more cumbersome to navigate markets such as India.

We hope you will consider joining us in February on our next group market visit to India or on any of the various markets we offer this service to. For a full schedule please visit http://www.exportvirginia.org/schedule_market_visits.html.

Namaste!

defense · exports · group market visit · India · international business · international deals · international event · international regulations · manufacturer · service exporter · travel · VEDP · Virginia

Each fall, Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) – International Trade works in conjunction with sponsors and supporters to host the Virginia Conference on World Trade, the state’s largest conference on international trade. 

This year on October 26 and 27, VEDP – International Trade will look at tangible ways to negotiate international deals with Conference theme, “Closing International Deals: The Do’s and Don’ts of Getting to Yes.”  Whether you are looking to expand your distributor network or sell directly to end users, there are things that you should keep in mind that will help, or hinder, you in the process.  At the conference, there will be:

Use this event to get caught up on international trade issues with industry experts and hear high-caliber speakers discuss how Virginia is positioning itself for the future of international trade.  For more information, please visit http://www.vacwt.org/ or call (804) 545-5764.

international business · international deals · international event · international regulations · manufacturer · service exporter · VACWT · VEDP · Virginia · Virginia Conference on World Trade