If you are a foreign mission that has leased land from the Indian government, you needn’t bother to pay for it.

The Japanese haven’t paid their token rent of Re 1 per month for their embassy for 42 years. Pakistan hasn’t done the same for nearly four decades. Germany hasn’t paid its Re 1 rent for more than 15 years. Malaysia paid till 1981, Sri Lanka till 1995, Saudi Arabia till 2002.

But the Indian government never complains. “It is not worth it,” said an Urban Development ministry official, not sure if reminders to the missions would violate “diplomatic niceties”.

India charges a token Re 1 from countries that paid a lumpsum when they were allotted the land on which they built their embassy or high commission offices.

E-mail questionnaires to Germany, Japanese and Russian embassies and the Pakistan High Commission were not answered.

However, there are some who have paid advance rent. While Canada has paid rent up till 2076, Italy has paid till 2016.