UK trade mission to India secures £1 billion in new deals

A UK trade mission to Delhi and Mumbai has secured over £1 billion in new deals for British businesses, building on the UK-India Free Trade Agreement signed in July 2025. The delegation, which includes Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds and Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander, aims to deepen economic ties and promote regional businesses.

Key sector developments include a £50 million investment from Meta for Data Technologies to create 500 jobs in London and Manchester for AI and quantum computing research. In aviation, Menzies Aviation secured a 15-year ground handling licence in Bengaluru expected to generate £600 million in revenue. Other notable deals involve Panakeia’s expansion of AI breast cancer diagnostics and Oxford Nanopore’s partnership to launch a Centre for Excellence in Hyderabad.

The trade agreement is also providing significant boosts to the Scottish economy, with an expected £190 million impact. A major component of the deal is the reduction of Indian tariffs on Scotch whisky, which are set to fall from 150% to 40% over ten years. Additionally, lower tariffs on salmon and soft drinks are expected to increase competitiveness for Scottish exporters in the Indian market.