Myth #4: “I’m going to India, so I’ll pack everything.”

— “Guys, can you even buy coffee in India, or should I bring instant?”

— “Is there any normal bread, or only those flatbreads with onions and chilli?”

— “Will I find sunscreen there? Or only coconut oil?”

— “Green tea? Or just black? In tea bags?”

— “Aspirin, ibuprofen, paracetamol… what else do I pack in case— well, you know?”

Friends… come on. You might as well bring Krasnodar rice and pickled herring while you’re at it. India isn’t the 1985 geography‑lesson postcard living in your head. It’s not a place where you ride a buffalo to the next village to fetch antibiotics, and toothpaste is made of beach sand with a hint of fresh dung (although, if you really insist, I’m sure someone sells that too) 😉

💊 Pharmacies & Pharmaceuticals

Pharmacies are everywhere—especially in tourist areas—and big chains are ubiquitous: Apollo Pharmacy (site), 1mg Health Store (site), MedPlus (site). If a medicine isn’t on the shelf, they’ll order it and deliver the same day or within a couple of days if it’s rare/pricey. Apps like PharmEasy (site) and NetMeds (site) deliver meds to your door.

💡 Fact bite: India is in the global top‑3 for generics; prices for many meds are 2–4× lower than in Russia.And yes—people take medicines from India to Russia, not the other way round: cheaper, wider choice, solid quality. We haven’t encountered fakes in the major chains—nor “placebos-for-profit”—at least in big networks.

🧴 Cosmetics, Hygiene & Household

Everything you’re used to is here—at sensible prices. Local and international brands galore.

🧴Hair care: Dove, Pantene, Head & Shoulders, Sunsilk, L’Oréal, Tresemmé; local heroes: Himalaya, Mamaearth, Biotique, Khadi, Forest Essentials (ayurveda‑lux). Shampoo ₹180–450; conditioner ₹200–500; masks ₹350–900.

🌞 Skin care/sunscreen: Nivea, Neutrogena, Lakmé, Lotus Herbals, Minimalist, Dot & Key. SPF 50 ₹350–900; moisturizers ₹200–700.

🦷 Oral care: Colgate, Sensodyne, Oral‑B, Closeup, Pepsodent, Dabur. Toothpaste ₹70–180; brushes ₹40–150; irrigators—mall or online.

🪒 Deos/shaving/men’s grooming: Nivea Men, Gillette, Old Spice, The Man Company, Bombay Shaving Company, Beardo.

🧼 Household: detergents Surf Excel, Ariel, Tide; softeners Comfort; stain removers Vanish; cleaners Harpic, Domex, Lizol; dishwash Vim/Pril; dishwasher—Finish. Detergent ₹220–350/kg; cleaners ₹90–200.

 Where to buy?

 🌐 Online: Nykaa (beauty), Amazon & Flipkart (everything).

 🏬 Offline: Reliance Smart/Fresh, More, D‑Mart; in Kerala—hypermarkets at Lulu Mall; plus plenty of village “provision stores” and supermarkets.

🧵 Clothing & Footwear

What you don’t need to pack is clothing and shoes—unless your daily fit is a kokoshnik and a kosovorotka.

India is a global hub for apparel. Factories meet ISO standards and manufacture for the same brands you buy in Europe/US—often at lower prices. Zara, Mango, Levi’s, H&M, Adidas, Nike, Uniqlo, plus local platforms Ajio (site) and Myntra (site) with endless choice and constant sales.

 Even your return suitcase and a stylish backpack—easy to buy here.Small local shops are great for cheap basics (towels, shorts, tees, flip‑flops). Quality varies, but prices are ₹100–500—and yes, haggle in tourist zones.

Big sizes: not always stocked offline—use malls or order online (Myntra/Ajio/brand stores).

🍛 Groceries

India is #1 globally for bananas, mangoes, spices, pulses, and milk. It’s #6 in coffee—beans from Coorg (Kodagu, Karnataka) are especially prized. A weekly food basket for two runs about ₹2000–3000. Supermarkets and online shops carry the usual suspects: chocolate (Lindt ~₹350–450, Toblerone ~₹300–350, Ferrero ~₹350–450, Cadbury ~₹180–220), Barilla pasta, olive oil, crispbreads, oats, cheeses, frozen foods, fresh produce, etc.

🧀 Dairy

Beyond paneer you’ll find mozzarella, cheddar, gouda, parmesan, mascarpone, camembert. Big supermarkets like Spencer’s and Reliance Fresh have cheese counters with farm cheeses (~₹500–800 per 200 g) and lots of imports. Local brands include Amul, Go Cheese, La Ferme (Pondicherry), plus small artisanal makers. Even parmesan snobs are fine here.

🥖 Bread & Flatbreads (not just “flatbreads”)

India has dozens of breads—you’ve seen half of them on menus worldwide:

·       Naan (incl. garlic), tandoori roti, roti/chapati

·       Paratha (aloo, paneer, lachha), kulcha (Amritsar)

·       Puri and bhatura (hello, chole‑bhature)

·       Dosa (thin rice‑lentil “crepe”) and appam (Kerala), idiyappam (rice noodle “nests”)

·       Malabar parotta (Kerala), rumali roti, sheermal (sweet saffron)

·       Pav/ladi pav (Mumbai buns for vada‑pav)

Craving “regular” bread? You’ll find sliced white/wholegrain/multigrain/gluten‑free; baguettes, ciabatta, even sourdough in big‑city bakeries.

Brands: Britannia, Modern, Harvest Gold, English Oven, Bonn. Mass‑market loaf ₹40–90; artisan baguette/ciabatta ₹180–350; croissant ₹60–120. In Kerala, bakeries are everywhere—from “milk bread” to fresh tea buns.

🍜 Instant Noodles

Don’t stuff your suitcase with Rollton/Doshirak—India’s awash with cup and packet noodles, from classic to napalm‑spicy: Maggi, YiPPee!, Nissin Cup Noodles, Wai Wai, Singapore’s KOKA (yes, the purple one), and Korea’s Samyang. Sold in supermarkets and village shops.

Price guide: packets ₹20–60; cups ₹50–120.

☕️ Coffee & Tea

Coffee. India is in the middle of a coffee boom. Big cities have third‑wave cafes and specialty roasters; Kerala is catching up fast—expect latte, cappuccino, flat white, raf, plus brew methods like V60, Chemex, Aeropress. Beans range from mass to specialty: Coorg (Kodagu), Chikmagalur, Wayanad, Araku. Roasters: Blue Tokai (site), Third Wave Coffee Roasters (site), SLAY, Black Baza.

Price guide: 250 g ₹300–800; 1 kg ₹1000–2000.

Tea. The choice is enormous—from tea bags to collector’s lots. Assam, Darjeeling, Nilgiri; oolongs, jasmine, white teas (Silver Needle, “silver spirals”), vintage and aged selections. Pyramids, loose leaf, matcha, masala‑chai mixes. Brands: Tata Tea, Brooke Bond (Red Label/Taj Mahal), Twinings, Typhoo, Tetley, plus local tea boutiques.

Price guide: 100 g Darjeeling ₹200–700; premium/vintage ₹800–1500; boxes of bags ₹100–250. A kilo of everyday tea from ₹200 (yes, it’s drinkable).

🛒 Online Delivery

BigBasket (site) 30–60 min; BlinkIt (site) 20–40 min; Amazon Fresh (site) up to ~2 h; Flipkart (site) 2–4 days.But… nearly everything is also available offline—even in village stores you’ll often find Nutella, muesli, and Greek yogurt.

🔌 Electronics & Home

India runs 230 V/50 Hz, socket types D and M—a universal adapter solves it.

Don’t lug a kettle/hair‑dryer/power bank for a long stay—buy here. Stores: Croma (site), Reliance Digital (site), Vijay Sales (site) plus Amazon/Flipkart cover everything from adapters to laptops.

Price guide: kettle ₹900–2000; hair dryer ₹800–1800; 10 000 mAh power bank ₹1200–2500.

💳 Payments

Russian cards don’t work. Cards from Kazakhstan, Armenia, Türkiye, Georgia, Europe, and the US are accepted. UPI/QR is everywhere—usually requires an Indian SIM and a local bank account. Some banks now allow limited UPI with international numbers (varies). You can always choose Cash on Delivery. Google Pay, PhonePe, Paytm are common. On marketplaces, COD is a safe fallback if a foreign card fails.

🏝️ What about Kerala?

Lulu Mall (site) in Kochi is ~2.5 million sq ft, 300+ stores—one of the largest in Asia. Lulu Malls are also in Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur, and Kannur. Pothys (site)—apparel; Spring (site)—organic produce and fresh fruit. You’ll find everything from hand‑loomed saris to berries.

✈️ Wrap‑Up

🛒 Travel light: India is a supermarket where the cart appears the moment you let go of your suitcase.

 And leave the herring at home—there’s mango here.

 Return with a bigger suitcase and a backpack—it’s cheaper and often better quality to buy them here.

India is generous to those who arrive with open hearts and empty hands—and leave with both full.

If You’re Heading to Kerala

 🏖️ Vacation (1–3 weeks): pack the minimum—light clothes, a basic first‑aid kit, sunscreen. Everything else is easy to buy.

🧳 Long stay (1+ month): same list. Everything’s in stores and online; if it’s not in a nearby shop, Amazon will.

🎫 Book the ticket today and see for yourself!