Britain is the 6th largest external investor of India with FDI flow from India of USD 30 billion during the time between 2000 and 2020. According to a Britain Meets India report released in 2024 There are 667 British businesses that operate in India and contributing INR 5082 billion in India’s Indian economy. The report further states that 162 British companies operating in India have seen double-digit annual growth and have exceeded their annual revenues in the region of 500 million dollars. 36 percent of British companies located in India are located in Maharashtra and the remainder are focused in the Delhi NCR region, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The top sectors in India that are attracting British investment include manufacturing products, business services technology, and consumer retail. Let’s take a take a look at 10 of the most successful British firms in India for 2025.
Top 10 Leading British (UK) Companies in India 2025
1. J.C. Bamford Excavators Limited
J.C. Bamford Excavators Limited founded in 1945 was an British multinational producer of heavy machinery for a range of uses such as demolition, construction waste handling, agriculture and recycling. The company is active in India since 1979, through its wholly-owned company, JCB India Limited. JCB India manufactures and sells more than 60 items across nine categories including backhoe loaders, telehandlers skid steer loaders diesel engines, and generators for diesel engines.
JCB India Limited owns and manages six factories in New Delhi, Pune, Vadodara and Jaipur. There is also an in-house design center located in Pune which is its largest outside the United Kingdom. The distribution network for the company in India is comprised of more than 600 outlets and 60 dealers.
2. Standard Chartered Bank
Standard Chartered Bank, established in 1853 was an British multinational bank that specializes in investment and corporate services, banking, as well as wealth administration. With more than 160 years of operation throughout India, Standard Chartered is one of the most renowned of the foreign-owned banks that operate in this country. Standard Chartered provides a range different services within India including savings accounts, current/savings accounts as well as credit/debit/forex card, online banking, as well as other digital solutions, such as investment options and much more.
SCB has 100 branches in 42 cities across India. It’s the first foreign bank to offer banking services to the country’s International Financial Services Centre located in GIFT City located in Gujarat.
3. PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited
Pricewaterhouse Coopers International Limited, established in 1849 is an British multinational corporation that specializes in various types of professional services including financial advisory accounting, legal services, forensic accounting as well as tax advice as well as management consultancy and more. The company first came into India in 1880, when it established its headquarters in Kolkata. PwC offers a broad range of services for businesses in India that include business transformation audit and assurance services corporate finance legal business solutions, and risk management.
PwC has a large network of offices that spans several cities in India which include Navi Mumbai, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar Delhi-NCR Kolkata, Chennai and Dehradun.
4. Barclays PLC
Barclays PLC, founded in 1690 was an British multinational bank that offers many financial and banking services such as wealth management, credit cards, asset management and commodities such as investment management, mortgage loans. Barclays has been present in India from the year 1990, when it established the first of its branches in India. Barclays offers a wide array of corporate banking, personal bank services, as well as investment banking in the Indian customers.
Barclays has branches located in Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, Chennai and Noida. It offers a world-wide service center located in Pune that offers complete solutions for its operations, technology and operations.
5. Cadbury
Cadbury established in 1824 it is an British confectionery company and the second largest confectionery company worldwide. The company entered India in 1948, with the introduction of its most popular chocolatier, Dairy Milk. Since since then, Cadbury has launched multiple popular chocolate brands and confectionery products on India. Indian market, including Silk, Five Star, Gems, Oreo, Celebrations and many more.
Cadbury operates four production plants in India which are located within Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh.
6. Unilever PLC
Unilever PLC, established in 1929 was an British multinational company that manufactures consumer packaged products such as breakfast cereals tea, instant coffee, instant tea concoctions infant food items, cleaner products soft drinks, toothpaste, and much more. The company is present across India by way of its subsidiary Hindustan Unilever Limited, founded in the year 1933. HUL is the owner of more than 50 of the most popular FMCG brands in categories such as the personal and body care tea and coffee, Ice cream and much more.
HUL has 80 manufacturing facilities in India. HUL also operates three development and research centers located in Bangalore, Mumbai and Gurgaon.
7. Capita PLC
Capita PLC, founded in 1984 was an British multinational outsourcing of business processes and professional services firm. It is in operation in India from in 2004 via its subsidiary company, Capita India Private Limited. Capita India provides a broad array of services, ranging from web content creation and webchat management, to HR-shared and back-office customer services. It has four offices at Mumbai, Pune and Bangalore.
8. Vodafone Group
Vodafone Group, founded in the year 1984 was an British multinational telecommunications firm. The company made its debut in India in in 1992 via its subsidiary Vodafone India Limited. In the month of March, Vodafone India had a share of 21% of the Indian market for telecommunications. In August of 2018, Vodafone India merged with Idea Cellular to form Vodafone Idea. At present, Vodafone Group holds 22.6 percent of the shares of Vodafone Idea.
9. Rolls-Royce Limited
Rolls-Royce Limited, established in 1904, is an British multinational corporation that specialises in high-end automobiles and aerospace engines. The company has provided engines for aerospace to the Indian Armed Forces since 1947. Currently, more than 750 Rolls-Royce engines are in use by a variety of aircrafts used by the military in India. Additionally, Rolls-Royce also provides marine engines for Indian Navy and Coast Guard. Indian Navy and Coast Guards.
10. HSBC Holdings PLC
HSBC Holdings PLC, founded in 1865 it is an British multinational financial services firm. The company was established in India in 1983 via its subsidiary, HSBC India. HSBC India provides multiple services which include corporate banking, loan, and international money transfer.
Conclusion
British firms see India as an attractive investment destination due to a number of factors, including a highly skilled workers, a increasing middle class populations and a massive domestic market. A possible Free Trade Agreement between the two countries could provide a significant boost to British investment in India and in turn, vice versa.