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Corruption: INdia vs VieT

Source: TW

A🧵 Forbes ranks India and Viet Nam as #1 and #2 in corruption in Asia.

Unfortunately or fortunately, I have first-hand experience in doing business in both these countries.

As a background: We have a few million invested in IN; in VN, we have a few hundred.

My $0.02:

1/n

If a thing is advertised to get done in 10 days, but you want to get it done in 2, you need to pay $2-5 bribe. If you don’t, it will get done in 10 days. In IN, you need to pay bribe + Govt penalty + GST on the penalty to get anything done after your 10 days. Approx $200

2/n #2: Paying $20 gift/year/concerned Govt employee gets all your work done without a hitch. In return, they invite me for lunch/dinner, and even invitations to their kid’s birthday parties.

In India, even after you pay $100-$300 per transaction, Babus treat you like thrash.

3/n Note: US govt officially allows its employees to receive $25/vendor/year.

To conclude:

In VN I give a bribe, then have peace in mind and don’t have to pay a dime in made-up penalty if I am doing everything legal.

4/n In IN: I have to go through all humiliations, abuse of Babus, listen to the ridiculous interpretation of laws and pay maximum fines to Govt (for made-up reasons), and then pay the bribe.

A bribe is a bribe. But I will take 10 Viet Nams over 1 India.