In India it is rude to step over someone. The reason is simple: you would be revealing the soles of your feet to them.

On Indian railway platforms and in airport lounges you will often find people sleeping on the ground and in order not to offend them, when you need to pass such a person, it is considered polite to wake them up and ask them to move. Don’t simply step over someone. When you are woken up, make sure to respond with friendliness. When you are waking someone up, be patient. It is very important in India not to get impatient, or if you do, to be sure not to show it. It will not only embarrass people; you will lose their respect.

India operates on ‘Indian Standard Time’; it does not share the Western attitude to time-keeping and punctuality. In a country with over a billion inhabitants long queues and paperwork are an inevitable part of life. Do not become irritated or pushy. This will not help speed up the service; in fact it will work adversely. At Indian airports until recently you often saw signs: ‘If you feel inconvenienced, remember it is only because we care!’ These have been replaced by tannoys saying: ‘Inconvenience regretted’ at regular intervals. Allow everyone to take their time – and keep smiling!