I'm a Master in India

Chapter 283: Incompetent Judiciary

Ron received Chandani in his villa. He was in his forties, looked gentle and elegant, and had the demeanor of a colonial-era elite.

He was surprised by the visit, as Onida and Sur Electric were currently rivals.

However, Ron didn't care; such a small matter wasn't worth bothering about.

"Please sit," he gestured, then had a servant bring tea.

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

It was very large; the chandelier alone was comparable to his living room.

The floor was paved with marble, carved with intricate patterns, highly artistic.

The luxurious and high-quality furniture, though not gilded like in other rich homes, clearly looked custom-made.

They were consistent with the overall decor style of the living room and blended in perfectly.

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

Looking at the bottled water label on it, the origin seemed to be abroad.

Could it be that all the water this guy used for eating, drinking, and daily life was airlifted in this way?

Chandani only felt it was too absurd; it shouldn't be possible.

However, thinking about his own faucet, which still required manual filtering, he felt a pang of bitterness.

"Mr. Sur, forgive my frankness, but your actions are completely stifling the local home appliance manufacturing industry."

"Wow, that's a pretty serious accusation," Ron raised an eyebrow.

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

Sur Electric acting as a price butcher will only wipe out domestic competitors, while not harming imported brands in the slightest."

Most Indian appliance manufacturers are currently positioned at the low end, and their pricing overlaps with Sur Electric.

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

Ultimately, a price war only harms local businesses.

Chandani used this as a moral high ground to stir public opinion and target Sur Electric.

"Firstly, Sur Electric's pricing is not blind; we have profits to earn, otherwise, we wouldn't ship in large quantities.

Secondly, the accusation of dumping is groundless; we can certainly prove that in court.

Lastly, the claim of stifling local businesses is pure slander; be careful, I might sue you," Ron slowly sipped his tea.

Hmm, tea brewed with mineral water imported from Finland was indeed good.

He wondered if it was his imagination, but Mumbai's water always had a certain taste.

After his wallet grew fatter, Ron never stinted himself in life.

Seeing his leisurely demeanor, Chandani felt even more displeased.

"As fellow businessmen, you and I both know that the cost of imported parts alone doesn't allow us to set prices too low."

"Who said they need to be imported? All of Sur Electric's parts are produced locally."

"All? 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 Sur Electric to move so quickly, with no prior news.

Additionally, although Onida was also undergoing localization, they had signed a bunch of unequal agreements with JVC, and for the past two years, they had basically been exploited.

In the short term, they couldn't lower prices to the same level as Sur Electric.

This was a slow strangulation; domestic small and medium-sized competitors would eventually be kicked out.

"Mr. Sur, as businessmen, we pursue more than just profit; we also bear the great responsibility of revitalizing India's manufacturing."

"India's manufacturing?" Ron almost laughed out loud.

This thing, Baba hadn't figured out for decades to come, and they expected it now?

Wouldn't it be better to be a comprador like him, honestly? Always dreaming of being a great nation.

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

"If India's manufacturing truly wants to achieve results, now is the last chance."

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

"India joined the WTO, right?"

"That's 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 say I'm dumping at low prices. After the transition period ends, foreign capital will directly build factories in India. Will imported goods still be as expensive as they are now?

No way; they will only madly pursue profits, with no regard for ethics. At that time, there will be truly cruel competition."

Foreign brands have technology and can leverage India's low-cost advantage. To compete for the market, a price war is inevitable.

Doesn't Chandani understand? Not necessarily; he just doesn't want to think that far ahead.

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

"What do you want to say?" Ron looked at him.

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

"You mean for Su'er Television to raise its prices?"

"That way you'll earn more, won't you?"

"That depends on whether consumers agree," Ron smiled strangely.

"Mr. Sur..."

"Sur Electric does not accept the antitrust accusation. If the Mumbai court wants to investigate, then fine, if they can manage it," Ron picked up his teacup, signaling him to leave.

What a joke, Ron feared no one, especially not India's judiciary. In commercial competition, the most incompetent method is to go through legal procedures.

After submitting an accusation, one first has to wait for the local court to accept it. Such cases usually overwhelm them, requiring transfer to the High Court.

For the same reason, most antitrust cases eventually appeal through layers to the Supreme Court.

This process would take at least several years, and Ron was full of confidence in India's efficiency.

The above is the normal, and most ideal, process for handling lawsuits.

However, this is India ( ).

No judicial system is as critically ill with case backlogs and delayed trials as contemporary India's.

It is said that the total number of pending cases in Indian courts is at least 25 million, meaning that for every forty people, regardless of gender or age, 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.

The Mumbai High Court has a 40% vacancy in judicial positions, and each judge has over 3,000 pending lawsuits.

Qualified lawyers are unwilling to become judges because the salaries paid by the courts are too low compared to private practice.

In India, filing a lawsuit requires no fees, and most cases offer no financial gain, so the courts are often unenthusiastic and frequently adjourn.

Newspapers recently mentioned a first-instance case that occurred in the 1980s. It has been more than ten years, and whether the parties are still alive is a question.

The public diligently submits complaints, but the speed of issuing judgments is only half the speed of submitting complaints, meaning that the Mumbai High Court resolves roughly the same number of old cases as it accumulates new ones each year.

At the current rate, it will take another 350 years to clear all pending cases.

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

Most cases take at least twenty years to reach a final judgment.

Many cases currently being slowly processed by the courts were appeals filed in the early 1950s.

Therefore, even if the court immediately handled the antitrust case threatened by Chandani, it would not reach a final judgment until twenty-five years later.

What was Ron afraid of? By then, it would be hard to say how many of these so-called association peers and brands would still be in business.

Some Mumbai gangs have even launched parallel judicial system services, with their advertisements saying:

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

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

People are exhausted by the judicial system, and when they are on the verge of bankruptcy and at their wits' end, they come to us for help.

What you've almost forgotten belongs to you, we will reclaim for you."

"What the courts can't do, we do," Rajan, a gang leader, publicly told reporters.

Their fees are expensive, but their enforcement efficiency is high, forcing many ordinary people to seek help from gangs out of desperation.

It's absurd, but Mumbai's current judicial system hasn't completely collapsed, thanks in part to the gangs.

Given this situation, Ron could completely disregard the so-called antitrust lawsuit.

Chandani's public opinion attack, however, was more intimidating than the lawsuit.

Populism is rampant in India; when it comes to national righteousness, everyone gets hyped up, shouting and threatening.

If a plane falls from the sky, they call it a rumor, or at worst, they silence it.

In short, one word: win!

However, Ron wasn't too worried about the so-called 'India's manufacturing' banner. He could defuse the opponent's offensive with a single sentence, and perhaps even take the opportunity to boost sales again.

After seeing Chandani off, he planned to go find Kavya. For public relations, The Times of India was essential; it had a large circulation and a loud voice.

However, before he could leave, Anil hurried in and whispered a few words to him.

Ron nodded, preparing to go out.

Niya, who was serving him, holding a teacup, looked a bit glum.

Baba was getting busier and spending less and less time at home.

Anil glared at her; men work, women just need to be 100% obedient.

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

Niya's face flushed. She had adapted many traditional dances, making the movements softer and emphasizing body curves.

To put it bluntly, they were all designed to please her master.

Ron liked it very much; little Niya had grown up, making him breathless.

However, good things had to be savored slowly, especially when no one was around.

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

Coming out of the villa, Ron saw the figure waiting outside.

His face was weathered, with a clear scar above his left eye on his forehead, and his legs seemed a bit unsteady.

Most importantly, his robust physique had become gaunt, and his eyes were devoid of light, only dullness.

"Ron," Johnny moved his throat, his voice hoarse.