The majority of ham radio activity in India is in the South. You could expect the hams here to be friendly and overwhelmingly hospitable.
If you are thinking of bringing along your VHF rig, don't forget to bring along your Amateur radio license as well. If the customs officers bother you about your rig, you could request them to enter it in your passport for re-export.
VHF band here is 144.000 to 146.000 MHz, repeaters are in the sub-bands 145.600-800 inclusive. The repeater shift is -600 Khz and starting channel is 145.600 MHz in this part of the world. There are exceptions to the rule, its worthwhile to scan 145.000-145.800 inclusive for local and repeater activity anywhere in India.
Reciprocal license: Unless your stay in India is for a few years, it is not worth the trouble to get a reciprocal. You could get one if you want to personally visit the Department of Telecommunications, WPC Wing in Delhi. That would require your presence for a couple of weeks in New Delhi.
You could operate as VU/K3TKJ or K3TKJ/VU if you really want to, although this would not meet the QSO's legal requirements. Most of us don't care and you will not get hassled by the radio amateurs on the band. Don't operate the VHF rig in public places without a local license. Operate only from your hotel room or anyplace unobserved.
If you want to know more about your reciprocal license, you could contact Mrs. Bharathi Prasad - VU2RBI or see Amateur Radio Society Of India website.
The special Ham Event is the Hamfest India. It is always scheduled to take place in the month of Septmeber or October. If you are looking for local club addresses you will find them on the following Webpage www.qsl.net/vu2sdu/icon.html.
Tips:
You may - most definitely - need 220v to 110v transformers for your gizmos. Only top notch hotels have built-in 110v supplies.
Most major cities and towns have internet services, you could pop into any of the numerous "Internet cafes" and read your mail at about 50 cents per hour.
India operates one of the world's largest railway networks and trains connect major cities with smaller ones - frequently and fast. Smaller villages are connected through buses. Reservation is advisable for weekend and the holiday season travelling.
Shops are normally opened Monday to Saturday - 0900 to 2000 hrs and on Sundays 0900 to 1300 hrs. In a lot of restaurants, the kitchen closes at around 2200 hrs. More tourism information (hotels, tours, etc.) can be found in the Links page.
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