Those Special Indian Prices

Just as one was wondering whether the stronger rupee has made book prices more reasonable in this country -- yesterday, one picked up a new hardback copy of Ryszard Kapuscinski's Travels With Herodotus for Rs 460 -- comes this article by Ravi Vyas on why Indian publishers don't acquire rights for even more overseas titles, making them more affordable: "...the basic reason is simple: our publishers are unable to link a forthcoming book to its potential market in India. The ability to ‘connect’ isn’t as simple as it sounds because it requires years of experience, an understanding of market trends as well as a wide range of reading on various subjects. "