How to Negotiate like an Indian — 7 Rules

In India, every transaction — EVERY transaction — is negotiated. Merchandise, cab fare, restaurant bills, wedding dowries — the list is endless…

Hotmail founder Sabeer Bhatia, a CA transplant from Bangalore, credited the bargaining skills he learned in vegetable markets at home for getting Microsoft to push its acquisition price for his company from $160 million to $400 million. Bill Gates’ eye teeth were floating in tea with that deal.

Here are a few rules for bargaining on the buy-side when in India…