One of the duties I have to fulfil as a director of the National Outsourcing Association is to talk to the media and to give some views and opinion when they call – to give a human voice to the association. Usually the chairman will do the media stuff, but as my focus is offshoring I often get called on to comment on international sourcing issues.

But as a part of the media machine myself, I can sometimes feel disappointed when I see my own words incorrectly quoted back at me. Yesterday, a rival publication to Computing called me for a comment on the Mumbai terror attacks. I rambled on about how business people might be thinking twice about visiting India right now, and possibly even in the next few months up to the general election, but I categorically stated that as I intend to go to India soon myself, I could not recommend a policy of not going. What was the headline that appeared on the story? “Mark says don’t go to India…” How did that happen?

So just for the record, in case my friends in India are reading this blog, I don’t think that everyone should stop travelling to India - far from it. I think we should all exercise caution when planning international travel, but India has not suddenly become a no-go zone. Some business people stopped visiting London after the 7/7 terror attacks in 2005, but the Australian cricket team played on. I remember seeing Shane Warne in Kensington three days after the bombing – close to a beer and a girl, so business as usual there - and the real business visitors returned soon after.

The terrorist attacks on India this week were tragic and it’s my fear that it could happen again unless prime minister Manmohan Singh clamps down on the perpetrators. But nobody really seems to have an idea of who is responsible at present – so the situation really is uncertain. However, in this present climate we all have to adopt a heightened sense of security. It’s not unique to India and the next mindless and brutal attack could be in London, or Washington DC.

Let’s remind ourselves that the real story here is not about whether this atrocity is good or bad for business in India. At least 119 people were going about their business in a place I know and love, and now they are dead.