Top 10 Famous British (UK) Companies in India

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Britain is the sixth biggest international investor to India with FDI flow from India reaching USD 30 billion over 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 which contribute INR 5082 billion in India’s Indian economy. The report also states that 162 British companies operating in India have experienced double-digit year-on-year growth and have exceeded their annual revenues that was 500 millions rupees. 36 percent of British companies located in India are located in Maharashtra while the rest are located in Delhi, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Top industries in India that are attracting British investment include industrial products including business services, technology, and consumer retail. Let’s take a review the 10 most popular British companies operating in India in 2026.

Top 10 British (UK) Companies in India

1. J.C. Bamford Excavators Limited

J.C. Bamford Excavators Limited was established in 1945 was an British multinational company that manufactures heavy equipment used in a variety of applications that include demolition, construction waste management, agriculture and construction. The company is active in India since 1979, through its wholly-owned affiliate, JCB India Limited. JCB India manufactures and sells more than 60 products across nine categories including backhoe loaders and telehandlers, Diesel engines, skid steer loaders, and diesel generators.

JCB India Limited owns and manages six factories in 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 of the company in India includes more than 600 dealers and 700 outlets.

2. Standard Chartered Bank

Standard Chartered Bank, established in 1853 was an British multinational bank that specializes in investment and corporate banking, Treasury services 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 different services within India like current/savings account, fixed deposit credit/debit/forex card as well as online banking, digital solutions, such as investment options and much 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, which is located in Gujarat.

3. PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited

Pricewaterhouse Coopers International Limited, founded in 1849 was an British multinational company that provides many kinds of professional services like financial advisory and legal services, forensic accounting tax advisory management consulting, and many more. The company first came into India in 1880 when it opened its headquarters in Kolkata. PwC offers a variety of services to companies in India that include business transformation as well as audit and assurance corporate finance legal business solutions, as well as risk management.

PwC has a vast network of offices that spans several cities in India that include Navi Mumbai, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar Delhi-NCR, Kolkata, Chennai and Dehradun.

4. Barclays PLC

Barclays PLC, founded in 1690 it is an British multinational bank that offers many financial and banking services including credit cards, asset management commodities, investment management, and mortgage loans. Barclays has been present in India from the year 1990, when it established the first of its branches in India. Barclays provides a variety of personal banking, corporate banking, and investing banking options to Indian customers.

Barclays has branches located in Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, Chennai and Noida. It offers a world-wide service center located in Pune that provides complete solutions to its operations, technology and other functions.

5. Cadbury

Cadbury established in 1824 it is an British confectionery company and the second-largest confectionery brand worldwide. The company began its journey into India in 1948, with the introduction of its top brand of chocolate, Dairy Milk. Since the time, Cadbury has launched multiple popular chocolate brands and confectionery items in India. Indian market, including Silk, Five Star, Gems, Oreo, Celebrations and many more.

Cadbury has 4 production facilities in India which are located within Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh.

6. Unilever PLC

Unilever PLC, established in 1929 It is an British multinational company that manufactures consumer packaged products such as breakfast cereals and tea, instant coffee concoctions babies food products, clean products soft drinks, toothpaste and many more. The company is present within India via its affiliate Hindustan Unilever Limited, founded in 1933. HUL is the owner of more than 50 well-known FMCG brands that span categories like the personal and body care tea and coffee, Ice cream, and much more.

HUL has 80 manufacturing facilities across India. The company 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 back-office and HR-shared services. It has four offices at Mumbai, Pune and Bangalore.

8. Vodafone Group

Vodafone Group, founded in the year 1984 it is an British multinational company in the field of telecommunications. The company commenced operations in India in in 1992 via its subsidiary Vodafone India Limited. In the month of March, Vodafone India had a percentage of 21% in the Indian telecoms market. In August of 2018, Vodafone India merged with Idea Cellular to form Vodafone Idea. Presently, 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 specializes in luxurious automobiles as well as aerospace engines. The company has been supplying engines for aerospace to the Indian military since 1947. Currently, more than 750 Rolls-Royce engines are in use by various types of aircraft that are used by the military in India. Additionally, Rolls-Royce also provides marine engines for those in the 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 came into India in 1983 through its subsidiary HSBC India. HSBC India provides multiple services that include global private banking as well as retail business banking, executive banking loans, and international money transfer.

Conclusion

British firms see India as an attractive investment destination due to a number of factors, including a the skilled workforce, the rising middle class and an enormous domestic market. A possible Free Trade Agreement between the two countries could provide a significant boost to British investment in India and the reverse.