5 Email Mistakes Indian Professionals Make (And How to Fix Them)
Learn the most common Indianisms in business emails and how to write more naturally for global audiences.
5 Email Mistakes Indian Professionals Make (And How to Fix Them)
TL;DR: Indian English has unique phrases like "do the needful" and "revert back" that sound unnatural to global audiences. This guide shows you which ones to avoid and what to say instead.
Introduction
India has one of the largest English-speaking workforces in the world. Yet, many Indian professionals face subtle credibility issues when writing to clients in the US, UK, or Europe — not because their English is "wrong," but because certain Indianisms sound overly formal, outdated, or confusing to native speakers.
These phrases made sense in colonial-era British English or evolved uniquely in Indian business culture. But in modern global communication, they can make you sound less confident or less fluent than you actually are.
Good news: fixing these is simple once you know what to look for.
Common Mistakes
1. "Please do the needful"
❌ Wrong:
Could you please do the needful and send me the report by EOD?
✅ Correct:
Could you please send me the report by end of day?
Why it matters:
"Do the needful" is a relic of British colonial English that disappeared from global business vocabulary decades ago. To American or British ears, it sounds vague and old-fashioned. Be specific about what you need instead.
2. "Kindly revert back"
❌ Wrong:
Kindly revert back at the earliest.
✅ Correct:
Please reply as soon as possible.
Why it matters:
"Revert" means "to return to a previous state" (e.g., "The settings will revert to default"). It does NOT mean "reply." Also, "revert back" is redundant — "revert" already implies going back. Use "reply," "respond," or "get back to me" instead.
3. "I will prepone the meeting"
❌ Wrong:
Let's prepone the meeting to 2 PM instead of 3 PM.
✅ Correct:
Let's move the meeting earlier — how about 2 PM instead of 3 PM?
Why it matters:
"Prepone" is not a real English word outside India (and maybe Sri Lanka). Native speakers will be confused. Use "move earlier," "reschedule to an earlier time," or "bring forward" instead.
4. "Out of station"
❌ Wrong:
I will be out of station next week, so unavailable for calls.
✅ Correct:
I'll be traveling next week and unavailable for calls.
Why it matters:
"Out of station" is uniquely Indian. Globally, people say "out of town," "traveling," or "away on business."
5. Overly formal tone (too much "kindly")
❌ Wrong:
Kindly be informed that the meeting has been preponed to 10 AM. Kindly confirm your attendance.
✅ Correct:
Just a heads-up: the meeting has been moved to 10 AM. Please confirm if you can attend.
Why it matters:
Indian business culture values formality, but Western emails tend to be more direct and conversational. Overusing "kindly" can make you sound robotic or overly deferential. Use it sparingly — once per email is plenty.
Quick Tips for 🇮🇳 Speakers
- Replace "revert" with "reply" or "respond" — Your emails will sound instantly more natural.
- Drop "do the needful" — Be specific: "Please send the invoice," not "Please do the needful."
- Avoid "out of station" — Say "traveling" or "out of office."
- Use "kindly" sparingly — Once per email is enough. Overuse sounds stiff.
- Skip "prepone" — Use "move earlier" or "reschedule to an earlier time."
Practice Exercise
Try rewriting this email:
Dear Sir,
I am writing to inform you that the project deliverables will be delayed due to some technical issues. Kindly do the needful and revert back at the earliest with your approval to extend the deadline by 2 days.
I will be out of station from 15th to 17th, so kindly prepone the review meeting to 14th if possible.
Thanking you,
Regards,
Priya
Solution:
Hi [Name],
I wanted to let you know that the project deliverables will be delayed by 2 days due to some technical issues. Could you approve the new deadline?
Also, I'll be traveling from the 15th to 17th — would it be possible to move the review meeting to the 14th instead?
Thanks,
Priya
What changed:
- "Kindly do the needful" → "Could you approve"
- "Revert back" → (implicit in "Could you approve")
- "Out of station" → "traveling"
- "Prepone" → "move… to the 14th instead"
- Removed excessive formality ("Thanking you," "Dear Sir")
Conclusion
Indian professionals bring incredible skills, work ethic, and English fluency to global teams. These small language tweaks aren't about fixing "bad English" — they're about speaking the same dialect as your international colleagues so your expertise shines through without distraction.
The good news? Once you recognize these patterns, they're easy to replace. Within a few weeks of conscious practice, writing naturally for global audiences will become second nature.
Want instant feedback on your emails? Try ILoveEmails — AI-powered corrections with explanations tailored specifically for Indian English speakers. Every correction comes with a "why" so you actually learn, not just copy-paste.