WHY INDIAN BUSINESSES NEED TRANSLATION SERVICES?

With 1.2 billion people, India is poised to be the third-largest consumer market in the world. A constantly improving Ease of Doing Business ranking and proactive government schemes like Make in India, imply improving prospects for the growth of Indian businesses.

But what sets the country apart from several others is its significance as a melting pot of various cultures and a hub of diversity. Its consumer market reflects this heterogeneity, making it important for businesses to tailor themselves to the diverse needs of different groups. Translation services become vital in this context.

With nearly 122 major languages, India is one of the most linguistically diverse regions in the world. Census 2011 identified as much as 19,500 mother tongues in the country. Of these, 22 major languages are considered as “scheduled languages” and are given official status by the government.

Languages belonging to as much as 6 different language families are spoken in India, with the Indo-Aryan languages being the most spoken, followed by Dravidian languages. Most of these languages have a distinct script identifiable with it, adding to the diversity.

The need for translation services arises from the fact that the country does not have a distinct lingua franca. While Hindi is widely spoken and understood in North and West India, South and Northeast India do not use the language. Though English is the official language of the Central Government, only a meager 12 percent of the population can speak English. Each linguistic group in the country is also a distinct cultural and economic group, making the consumer markets in India highly differentiated on the lines of language.

Indian languages are crucial to the digital marketplace. A study reveals that 9 out of 10 internet users in India use local languages over English, online. While the total internet user base in India is expected to be half a billion by 2021, the Hindi internet user base is projected to outstrip the English user base.

While this will make Hindi the most used internet language in India, other major languages like Marathi, Bengali, Tamil, and Telugu will form nearly 30 percent of the internet user base. India’s linguistic diversity calls for a diverse digital world, where language barriers do not prevent businesses and consumers from interacting with each other and realizing mutual benefit.

The Indian middle class is progressively increasing with economic expansion. As this middle class seeks outlets for savings, mutual funds and other investment options are becoming highly attractive. To make these investment options popular beyond the tiny percentage of English speaking middle class, mutual funds must rely on translation services. The best way for businesses to do this is through a professional translation company in India, that has the required linguists and technical expertise.

Linguistic, regional, and cultural differences overlap in India, making language an important cultural and political tool. There is a high level of emotional attachment to one’s mother tongue that has regularly sparked movements against any imposition of a single language as the country’s lingua franca. This cultural attachment translates into the market choices of consumers.

A disproportionately large section of the Indian population prefers businesses and brands that can communicate to them in their mother tongues. Relying on translation services for business content, marketing and labels can ensure that businesses do not lose out on a consumer market that may also consciously chose for local language content.

India’s linguistic and regional diversity is in many ways central elements of the country’s economic development. As an emerging economic power with a progressively liberalizing economy, India offers much for businesses and brands. But winning over the consumer market in India requires professional translation services that can make consumers feel connected to businesses. This can ensure greater prospects and profits for Indian businesses within the country.