Are IT people from India faking it?

I work with several Information Technology people from India and they seem almost totally incapable of understanding English or communicating in English. Time and time again I find myself explaining things to them over and over again. When I ask them for information I get one word answers and blank stares. I am beginning to wonder if they know anything at all about IT. Certainly if an American employee was as incapable of communication they would be fired, but political correctness seems to have created 2 grossly different standards. Have you had similar experiences at your company?