The question requires identifying which novelist was not born in India. We need to consider the birthplaces of each option provided:
- Rudyard Kipling: Born in Bombay, British India.
- E. M. Forster: Born in London, England.
- Ruskin Bond: Born in Kasauli, British India.
- W. M. Thackeray: Born in Calcutta, British India.
Upon reviewing the birthplaces, it's clear that E. M. Forster was born outside India, making him the correct answer.