In the Indian culture, body language is very critical and important to understand when communicating, as Indians use nonverbal communication quite often. Physical contact in conversation is not as common however. So if, someone touches you while talking or puts their hand on your shoulder, it shows the intimacy of the relationship. However, physical contact between people of the opposite sex in public is frowned upon because of the conservative aspect of the Indian culture.
One main nonverbal gesture that Indians do is the head bob. Indians often bob their head in response to yes or no questions. It is a very vague response that people often misread.
Using your left hand is considered rude, as it is known as the “unclean” hand. Accepting things and eating with the left hand is considered offensive.
When people meet for the first time, they do not generally shake hands. Instead they nod their heads and bow, saying Namaste.
Again, Indians do not have a sense of time. Especially when conversing, they can go on for hours. They tend to never start on a scheduled time, instead they run on “Indian time” which is at least fifteen minutes past.
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