Tips on business communication with Indians

Dear all,

Would like to hear from those of you who are a) Indian nationals or who b) Have worked or work closely with Indian companies. My job is in the real estate investments space (specifically India) and I typically liaise with developers, investment banks and corporate finance advisory firms on potential investment deals.

I am facing some difficulties communicating and working with the Indians. I am not sure if this is due to the fact that I am non-Indian (I am Chinese, hence they might feel less comfortable to connect with me??), a woman, and at the working level (Associate). Could any of you share your experiences/tips on how to narrow the gap in working style and communicate better with them? In particular how to:

- Establish trust with the Indians; relationship-building. Note that I am unable to travel to India due to company budget constraints. Only my manager (a Chinese guy) has been making trips there.
- Discuss issues and still come to a consensus (rather than leaving things hanging in the air)
- Be polite yet gain respect

Thank you in advance and I look forward to hearing some constructive feedback.