Indian investment in UK hits record high as company count surges 60%
The number of Indian-owned companies in the UK surged by nearly 60% year-on-year in 2026, reaching 1,912, with a combined turnover of £105.77 billion, up from £72.14 billion in 2025, the latest edition of the India Meets Britain Tracker from Grant Thornton has revealed.
The India Meets Britain Tracker is published by Grant Thornton UK in collaboration with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and India Global Forum (IGF). First published in 2014 and now in its 13th edition, the Tracker has become the market-leading report for identifying the fastest-growing Indian-owned businesses in the UK and analysing key trends in investment, employment, and sectoral growth.
Strong growth and investment
The 2026 report found that sixty-six companies reported annual revenue growth of at least 10%, with an average growth rate of 61%. Prime Focus International Services led with 1,283% growth, followed by Zydus Pharmaceuticals UK at 320%.
This was as bilateral trade between India and the UK rose to £47.4 billion in 2025, an 11.7% year-on-year increase. This increase was focused in the areas of advanced manufacturing, clean energy, and technology.
This year, 66 companies recorded revenue growth of 10% or more. Tracker companies achieved an average growth rate of 61%, up from 42%, which illustrated the continued dynamism and robustness of Indian companies, despite a soft UK economic environment.
The research comes nearly a year after the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), was signed (July 2025), and which is soon expected to become law. The report shows how the agreement is driving this surge in bilateral economic activity. The CETA moved to simplify trade regulations, boost confidence in cross-border investments, and set a shared goal of reaching USD 100 billion in trade by 2030.
The findings in numbers
Significant employment impact
The impact on the UK employment market also continues to grow, with Indian-owned businesses now employ 203,549 people in the UK, a 60.6% increase from 2025.
Jaguar Land Rover Automotive PLC, owned by Tata Motors, remains the largest Indian employer in the UK with 44,103 employees. Tata Steel and Borelli Tea Holdings hold second and third place with 19,600 and 5,040 UK employees respectively.
The rise in female directors of the Tracker firms shows a welcome move to increasing gender diversity in the top roles within Indian owned firms.
Sectoral insights
Technology, Media, and Telecom (TMT) dominated in terms of sector focus, , as it has done since the report first launched. Manufacturing and pharmaceuticals vie for 2nd and 3rd position
Companies like the technology consulting and digital solutions firm LTM [LTIMindtree], IT and consulting firm Wipro, and tech and media company Prime Focus drove TMT’s growth, while Zydus Pharmaceuticals expanded in the life sciences sector.
Regional dynamics
In terms of location, London continues to lead as the favourite destination for Indian businesses, with the city hosting 38% of Indian businesses. Between them they generated £2.26 billion in revenue. Whilst impressive, London’s share of Tracker companies has fallen, compared with peaks of over 50% between 2018 and 2021.
However, growth outside London is also accelerating, with the South region being home to nearly one in three Indian business (27%). The Midlands and North were broadly equally popular, being home to 12% and 11% of businesses respectively.
Not without challenges
The report highlights how Indian companies face various challenges such as rising operational costs, regulatory complexities, and competition. However, it also cites the UK’s stable legal and financial systems, coupled with its focus on clean energy and digital technology, providing significant long-term opportunities.
Anuj Chande OBE, Grant Thornton Partner and Head of South Asia Business Group, stated:
"The India Meets Britain Tracker 2026 highlights the remarkable achievements of Indian businesses in the UK. With CETA now in place, the India-UK corridor is poised for unprecedented growth, creating value for both economies and cementing a long-term partnership.
“In October, Grant Thornton’s 2025 International Business Report (IBR) identified the 99% of Indian firms with a UK presence were planning to expand and nearly 90 per cent of those not yet in the UK intending to establish a base here.
“We are continuing to see that the India-UK corridor is not just a trade relationship; it is a strategic partnership leveraging innovation, resilience, and shared ambitions. With nearly all Indian mid-market firms planning UK expansion and UK businesses eyeing India for growth, this collaboration is set to thrive in the coming years across technology, clean energy, and advanced manufacturing”.
A CII spokesperson commented;
“The UK-India CETA has done much to encourage and enable Indian investment in the UK. As it comes into law we will see even higher levels of Indian interest in the UK as a key foreign market for Indian businesses in which to establish themselves, alongside fresh capital inflows to UK companies from India.
“There is much in this report to celebrate and the CII looks forward to continuing our work with colleagues in both India and the UK to help this symbiotic relationship thrive and achieve even greater things in the future for our two great nations.”
Will Carne, Director, India Global Forum IGF commented;
“The UK continues to grow as a key destination for Indian investment, crucially, in strategic areas that will determine future growth on both sides of the corridor.
“As Indian companies shift their focus towards innovation led investments, regulatory alignment must keep pace to provide further headroom for growth.
“The report evidences the huge advantages of ever deeper UK engagement with an outward facing, globalising India. It must be used as a launchpad for further growth as CETA comes into effect.”