Britain is the sixth biggest external investor of India with FDI flows from the country of USD 30 billion during the years 2000 to 2020. According to a Britain Meets India report released in 2024 the report states that there are 667 British businesses that operate in India which contribute INR 5082 billion into India’s Indian economy. The report further states that 162 British companies operating in India have seen double-digit annual growth and have reached the annual revenue that was 500 millions rupees. 36 percent of British companies located in India are located in Maharashtra while the rest are focused in the Delhi NCR region, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Top industries in India that are attracting British investments are manufacturing products, business services technology, and consumer retail. Let’s take a take a look at 10 of the most successful British companies operating in India in 2026.
Top 10 Leading British (UK) Companies in India
1. J.C. Bamford Excavators Limited
J.C. Bamford Excavators Limited was established in 1945 is an British multinational company that manufactures heavy machinery for a range of uses such as demolition, construction as well as waste handling and agricultural. The company is active in India since 1979, through its wholly-owned company, JCB India Limited. JCB India manufactures and sells more than 60 products across nine categories including backhoe loaders and telehandlers, skid steer loaders Diesel engines, diesel generators and generators for diesel engines.
JCB India Limited owns and runs six factories at New Delhi, Pune, Vadodara and Jaipur. There is also a design center located in Pune which is its largest outside of the United Kingdom. The distribution network for the company in India includes more than 600 dealers and 700 outlets.
2. Standard Chartered Bank
Standard Chartered Bank, established in 1853 it is an British multinational bank which specializes in investment and corporate banking, treasury and management of wealth. With more than 160 years of experience throughout India, Standard Chartered is one of the most renowned of the foreign-owned banks that operate in this country. The bank offers a range kinds of products in India including current and savings balances, fixed deposits credit/debit/forex card as well as online banking, digital services, investment options and many more.
SCB has 100 branches in 42 cities across India. It’s the first foreign-owned 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 company that provides various types of professional services like financial advisory and legal services, forensic accounting tax advisory as well as management consultancy and more. The company first came into India in 1880 when it opened its headquarters in Kolkata. PwC offers a broad range of services for businesses in India such as business transformation as well as audit and assurance corporate finance legal business solutions, and risk management.
PwC has a vast 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 the year 1690 it is an British multinational bank that offers various financial and banking services, including credit cards, asset management and investment management, commodities as well as mortgage loan. Barclays has been present in India from the year 1990, when it established the first of its branches in India. Barclays offers a variety in personal and corporate banking, and investing banking options to Indian customers.
Barclays has branches with branches in Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, Chennai and Noida. It is also home to a worldwide service center located in Pune that offers complete solutions for its operations, technology and operations.
5. Cadbury
Cadbury established in 1824 was an British confectionery manufacturer and the second largest confectionery company worldwide. The company entered India in 1948 when it launched its most popular chocolate product, Dairy Milk. Since the time, Cadbury has launched multiple well-known brands of chocolates and confectionery products on India. Indian market, including Silk, Five Star, Gems, Oreo, Celebrations and many more.
Cadbury has four production facilities 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 producer of consumer packaged products such as breakfast cereals and tea, instant coffee and condiments infant food items, cleaner products soft drinks, toothpaste and much more. The company is present within India via its affiliate Hindustan Unilever Limited, founded in the year 1933. HUL is the owner of more than 50 well-known FMCG brands that span categories such as the personal and body care tea and coffee Ice cream and much more.
HUL has a total of 80 manufacturing plants 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 service company. It has been operating in India from 2004, through its affiliate, Capita India Private Limited. Capita India provides a broad variety of services ranging from web content creation and webchat management, to back-office services and HR-shared services. There are four offices at Mumbai, Pune and Bangalore.
8. Vodafone Group
Vodafone Group, founded in 1984 it is an British multinational telecommunications firm. The company made its debut in India in with its affiliate, Vodafone India Limited. In March of 2018, Vodafone India had a share of 21% of the Indian telecoms market. In August of 2018, Vodafone India merged with Idea Cellular to form Vodafone Idea. In the moment, 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 company that specialises in luxurious automobiles as well as aerospace engines. The company has provided aircraft engines for the Indian Armed Forces since 1947. At present, more than 750 Rolls-Royce engines are used by various types and types of military planes operating 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 and banking services firm. The company moved into India in 1983 through its subsidiary HSBC India. HSBC India provides multiple services that include credit, executive banking, and international money transfer.
Conclusion
British businesses see India as a desirable investment destination due to numerous factors, including a the skilled workforce, the increasing middle class populations and a massive domestic market. A potential open trade deal between the two countries could provide a significant boost to British investment in India and the reverse.
