Forget the cricket, watch for a PR superpower...

Pick up an airport-racked business mag, and you'll only be a few pages away from an article trumpeting the rising economic glory of India. We know they're knocking out microchips and software at an alarming rate, but closer to home I think it's worth keeping a watching eye on India's public relations talent.

Indian simply loves to communicate. The country has 23 official languages and over 200 dialects, which are said to change every 5km you travel. In 2 years of regional gatherings, forums and meetings the Indians contingent is usually pretty similar. They love to debate, they love to challenge, they love discussion - they are constantly curious. They are the master story-tellers. And Jesus - do they get angry when their cricket team fails to deliver.

My three days in Goa last week allows me to make some sweeping generalisations. Whilst the Indian PR industry - to me - appears reasonably focussed on the basics of media relations, if ever there was a country that has the opportunity to elevate itself to a global player in PR, it's these chaps. I agree with David Gallagher's comments here on 'glocalisation.' He's right, globalisation doesn't mean white PR people making more money all over the world. These guys can kick our asses - all it'll take is experience and application. The raw ingredients of PR - curiousity, empathy and story-telling - they're all there.

And they do a mean Aruyvedic massage - one that brought back uncomfortable memories of a naked penetrating shower in Evian.