I am a master in India

Chapter 283 Incompetent Justice

Ron received Chandani at his villa. Chandani was in his forties and looked very refined, with the air of an elite from the colonial era.

He was surprised when the other party came to visit him, since Onida and Suer Electric were currently in a battle.

However, Ron didn't take it to heart; it was a trivial matter.

"Please sit down." He gestured with his hand and then asked a servant to serve tea.

"Thank you." Chandani clasped his hands together and then looked around the villa.

This place is huge; the chandelier overhead alone is comparable to his living room.

The floor is made of marble and is carved with intricate patterns, giving it a highly artistic feel.

The luxurious and high-quality furniture, though not covered in gold leaf like in other wealthy homes, was clearly custom-made.

They are consistent with the overall decor of the living room and blend in perfectly.

What impressed Chandani even more was that the servants didn't need to use fire to brew tea; there was a machine in the side room that could directly dispense hot water.

Looking at the label on that bottled water, it seems to be produced overseas.

Could it be that the water this guy needs for everything—food, clothing, and daily necessities—is all airlifted in like this?

Chandani just thought it was too absurd, it couldn't be.

But thinking about his own tap water, which still needs to be filtered manually, he felt a pang of jealousy.

“Mr. Suer, please forgive my bluntness, but your actions are completely stifling the domestic home appliance manufacturing industry.”

“Wow, that’s a pretty serious accusation.” Ron raised an eyebrow.

"Given India's current technological capabilities, it is simply impossible for them to independently produce televisions, let alone price them so low."

Suer Electric's price-cutting tactics will only drive out domestic competitors, but won't harm imported brands in the slightest.

Currently, most Indian appliance manufacturers are positioned in the low-end market, and their pricing range overlaps with that of Suer Electric.

Foreign imported brands target the high-end market, and their consumer base will never shift to the low-end market.

Ultimately, price wars hurt domestic companies.

Chandani used this as a pretext to incite public opinion and direct the criticism at Suer Electric Appliances.

"First of all, Suer Electric's pricing is not blind; we have a profit to make, otherwise we would not ship in large quantities."

Secondly, the accusation of dumping at low prices is completely unfounded, and we can certainly see the truth of this in court.

Finally, the claim that they're stifling local businesses is pure slander; watch out, or I'll sue you. Ron sipped his tea leisurely.

Yes, the mineral water imported from Finland is indeed excellent for making tea.

He wondered if it was just his imagination, but the water in Mumbai always had a strange smell.

With his wallet bulging, Ron never compromised his lifestyle.

Seeing his relaxed demeanor, Chandani felt even more displeased.

"As industry peers, we both know that the cost of imported parts alone does not allow us to set prices too low."

"Who said it needs to be imported? All parts of Suer Electric are produced locally."

"All of them? Every single part?"

"Is there anything strange about that? Isn't Onida also setting up a complete production line?"

Chandani was speechless. He hadn't expected Suer Electric to act so quickly, as there hadn't been any prior warning.

In addition, although Onida is also undergoing localization, they signed a lot of unequal agreements with JVC, and for the first two years they were basically being exploited.

In a short period of time, it is simply impossible to lower the price to the same level as Suer Electric.

This is a slow strangulation, and eventually, all the small and medium-sized domestic competitors will be kicked out of the market.

“Mr. Sur, as businessmen, we pursue more than just profits; we also bear the great responsibility of revitalizing Made in India.”

"Made in India?" Ron almost laughed out loud.

Third Brother didn't understand this thing even decades later, so how can we expect to figure it out now?
Why not just honestly become a comprador like yourself? All you do is dream of becoming a great power.

Of course, he wouldn't say it out loud; he would always stand on the moral high ground.

"If Made in India really wants to succeed, now is its last chance."

"Why do you say that?" Chandani was taken aback.

"India has joined the WTO, right?"

"This is a good thing, we can do business with more countries."

"Mr. Chandani, you are too confident. Without the protection of tariff barriers, how can we compete with others?"

You accuse me of dumping goods at low prices. But once the transition period ends, foreign companies will directly build factories in India. Will imported goods still be so expensive then?
"That's impossible. They're only interested in chasing profits and have no morals whatsoever. That's when the truly brutal competition will begin."

Foreign brands possess the technology and can leverage India's low-cost advantage. In the competition for market share, a price war is inevitable.

Does Chandani not understand? Perhaps not, he just doesn't want to think that far ahead.

"Since we are going to represent India and compete with imported goods, shouldn't we unite now and stand together against external threats?"

“What are you trying to say?” Ron looked at him.

"We can sign a price alliance agreement to guarantee everyone's profits, so that we will have the resources to compete with imported goods in the future."

"You mean you want to raise the price of Suer televisions?"

"Wouldn't you earn more that way?"

“That depends on whether the consumers agree,” Ron said with a strange smile. “Mr. Sue.”

“Sul Electric doesn’t accept the antitrust charges. If the Mumbai court wants to investigate, so be it, if they can handle it.” Ron served tea and saw the guest out.

What a joke! Ron wouldn't flinch at anyone, not even the Indian legal system. In business competition, the most incompetent tactic is resorting to legal proceedings.

After filing a complaint, you first have to wait for the local court to accept the case. Usually, they can't handle these cases, so they have to transfer them to the High Court.

For the same reason, most antitrust cases eventually end up in the Supreme Court after being appealed through various levels of courts.

This process will take at least a few years, but Ron has full confidence in India's efficiency.

The above is the normal procedure for handling litigation, and also the most ideal situation.

However, this is India ( ).

Nowhere else is the judicial system as ill as contemporary India, plagued by case backlogs and delayed trials.

It is said that the total backlog of cases in Indian courts is at least 25 million, which means that for every 40 people, regardless of age or gender, there is one case awaiting trial.

In the United States, there are 107 judges per million people. In India, there are only 13 judges per million people.

There are 40% vacancies on the benches of the Mumbai High Court, and each judge has more than 3,000 pending cases.

Qualified lawyers are unwilling to become judges because the courts pay them too little compared to private practice.

In India, there are no fees to file a lawsuit, and the vast majority of cases are not profitable, so the courts are uninterested and often adjourn the proceedings.

The newspaper recently mentioned a case that went to trial in the 80s. That was more than a decade ago, and it's questionable whether the parties involved are even still alive.

The public files lawsuits frequently, but the speed at which judgments are issued is only half that of the lawsuits filed. This means that the number of old cases resolved and the number of new cases backlogged by the Mumbai High Court each year are roughly equal.

At the current rate, it would take another 350 years to process all the backlogged cases.

The evidence collection process in civil litigation alone takes an average of five years.

For most cases to reach a final judgment, it takes at least twenty years.

Many of the cases that courts are now slowly processing were appeals filed in the early 1950s.

Therefore, even if the court were to proceed with Chandani's antitrust threat immediately, the final judgment would not be reached for another 25 years.

Ron was afraid of nothing. Back then, it was hard to say how many of those so-called association peers were still around.

Some gangs in Mumbai have launched parallel justice systems services, and their advertising slogans are as follows:

“If someone occupies your house and refuses to leave, a lawsuit that would take twenty years to resolve in court, we can settle in ten days.”

What the police, government, or courts cannot do, we can do.

People, exhausted by the judicial system, come to us when they are on the verge of bankruptcy and have nowhere else to turn, asking for our help.

You've almost forgotten that what belongs to you is yours; we'll step in and get it back for you.

“What the courts can’t do, we’ll do,” a leader of Rajan’s gang told reporters publicly.

Their fees are high, but their enforcement efficiency is high, leaving many ordinary people with no choice but to seek help from gangsters.

It's outrageous that Mumbai's judicial system hasn't completely collapsed thanks in part to the mafia.

Given his character, Ron could completely disregard the so-called antitrust lawsuit.

However, the media attacks launched by Chandani were more intimidating than the lawsuits.

Populism is rampant in India. When national interests are mentioned, everyone becomes like they're on steroids, shouting for war and violence.

If a plane falls from the sky, they say it's a rumor, or at worst they just cover it up.

In short, one word: Win!

However, Ron wasn't too worried about the so-called "Made in India" banner. He could neutralize their offensive with a single sentence, and might even take the opportunity to boost sales again.

After seeing Chandani off, he prepared to go find Kaviya. For propaganda, he would still rely on the Times of India, which had a large circulation and a loud voice.

Before he could even leave the house, Anil strode in and whispered a few words in his ear.

Ron nodded and prepared to leave.

Nia, who was serving him tea, looked rather sullen.

Baba is getting busier and busier, and he spends less and less time at home.

Anil glared at her. Men do the work, and women just need to obey completely.

"I'll enjoy your Bharata dance in a couple of days," Ron said with a smile, pinching her cheek.

Nia blushed. She had adapted many traditional dances, making the movements more graceful and highlighting the curves of the body.

To put it bluntly, they were all designed to please their owners.

Ron liked it very much; little Nia had grown up and was making him feel suffocated.

However, good things should be appreciated slowly, especially when no one is around.

Anil was a rough and uncouth man who had no idea that his sister was his greatest asset.

As Ron stepped out of the villa, he saw the figure waiting outside.

His face was weathered, with a noticeable scar on his forehead above his left eye, and his legs seemed to be not very agile.

Most importantly, his once robust physique became thin, and his eyes lost their light, becoming dull and lifeless.

“Ron.” Johnny moved his throat, his voice hoarse.

(End of this chapter)