Culture is the most important CAGE dimension

Two markets can look identical on paper — similar GDP, compatible regulations, geographic proximity. And still feel worlds apart when you actually try to operate in both.

That's the cultural distance that CAGE captures. It's not just language or religion. It's how decisions get made. Who gets heard. What "respect" means in a meeting.

The UAE and India share deep cultural connections. But the operational culture of business — how deals are structured, how relationships matter — is distinctly different.

This is the dimension you can't outsource to a consultant.