United Kingdom and India
Trade, services and technology build on extensive business and human connections. CETA, signed in 2025, entered into force in July 2026. Its application has specific rules and must be distinguished from agreements on mobility or social security contributions.
Analysis reviewed: 2026-10-07 · Indicators updated: 2026-10-07CETA signing and entry into force
The Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement was signed on 24 July 2025 and entered into force on 15 July 2026, according to the British Government.
Technology and economic security
The Technology Security Initiative was launched in July 2024 to structure cooperation between government, industry and academia.
Application since July 2026
The entry-into-force announcement moves from describing a signed treaty to a documented implementation milestone.
Bilateral indicators
Blank cells: data unavailable.
| Indicator | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Goods trade | 25,174.77 M USD | 2025 · UN Comtrade / GBR |
| Goods: United Kingdom to India | 10,001.94 M USD | 2025 · UN Comtrade / GBR |
| Goods: India to United Kingdom | 15,172.82 M USD | 2025 · UN Comtrade / GBR |
| Services trade | ||
| Export share: United Kingdom to India | 1.8 % | 2025 · UN Comtrade / GBR |
| Export share: India to United Kingdom | ||
| Investment stock: United Kingdom in India | ||
| Investment stock: India in United Kingdom |
Definitions and sources
Trade adds both directions. Shares refer to the country’s total goods exports; investment is an accumulated stock, not an annual flow. Every figure retains the currency and period of its source. BEA positions are historical-cost estimates based on the immediate counterpart, not market values or investment by ultimate owner. ‘More than’ indicates a lower bound, not an exact amount. A recorded stock does not establish new activity or authorisation to operate under sanctions.
- Goods trade
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / GBR · Goods; full year; GBR reporter. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the reporter's coverage. No addition of mirror reports.
- Goods: United Kingdom to India
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / GBR · Goods; full year; GBR reporter. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the reporter's coverage. No addition of mirror reports.
- Goods: India to United Kingdom
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / GBR · Goods; full year; GBR reporter. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the reporter's coverage. No addition of mirror reports.
- Export share: United Kingdom to India
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / GBR · Goods share: GBR exports to the partner / the same reporter's exports to the world, same year.
Country comparison
Period and source beside each figure · est. = estimate by the stated institution.
| Indicator | United Kingdom | India |
|---|---|---|
| Nominal GDP | 4 trillion USD2025 · World Bank | 3.96 trillion USD2025 · WB |
| GDP per capita | 57,601.96 USD2025 · World Bank | 2,702.48 USD2025 · WB |
| GDP growth | 1.39 %2025 · World Bank | 7.57 %2025 · WB |
| Policy interest rate | 5.25 %2026-10-06 · RBI | |
| Inflation · annual average | 3.88 %Annual average · 2025 · World Bank | 2.4 %Annual average · 2025 · WB |
| Inflation · latest year-on-year figure | 3.1 %Year-on-year · 2026-08 · ONS | 4.82 %provisionalprovisionalYear-on-year · Aug. 2026 · MoSPI |
| Unemployment | 4.75 %ILO est.2025 · World Bank | 4.22 %ILO est.2025 · WB |
| Budget balance (% of GDP) | -5.4 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | -7.4 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Gross public debt (% of GDP) | 102.3 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | 84.1 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Current account balance (% of GDP) | -2.43 %2025 · World Bank | -0.42 %2025 · WB |
| Population | 69,487,0002025 · World Bank | 1,463,865,5252025 · WB |
| Area | 243,610 km²2023 · World Bank | 3,287,260 km²2023 · BM / FAO |
| Military expenditure | ||
| Military expenditure (% of GDP) |
Definitions, dates and sources
Blank cells are not zero. Average annual inflation and the latest year-on-year figure appear in separate rows: they are not the same measure. Every annual indicator retains its reference year; when the years differ, the figures are identified as not directly comparable. When a figure is unavailable from the World Bank, an annual IMF estimate is used and identified as such. The latest year-on-year figure is the latest official release verified as of 7 October 2026. This includes advance releases marked as provisional. Mexico may have a fortnightly figure before the full month is published; it is not automatically compared with a monthly figure. The publication date is retained in each source’s details; it does not replace the observation period or the annual average. Policy rates carry their own dates and represent different instruments. Spain and France share the ECB rate. Balances are positive for surpluses and negative for deficits. The IMF may use fiscal years; unemployment retains each source’s definition (ILO estimates, IMF WEO or PCBS), as stated in the details. For Palestine, debt and the fiscal balance cover central government and retain the PCBS definition; they are not presented as consolidated general government. These are economic magnitudes, not measures of relationship quality.
Area retains each source’s territorial coverage; it does not determine sovereignty or effective control. Canada uses an archived national geographic reference. Military expenditure retains the 2024 SIPRI sample distributed by the World Bank: the amount and percentage of GDP use that same definition, which differs from NATO’s. It is not an approved budget or a 2026 figure. Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Military expenditure database · Terms of use0
Indicators reviewed: 2026-10-07. Each source retains its original access date; this review does not turn all the data into 2026 observations. Figures may be revised.
- Nominal GDP
- Current USDUnited Kingdom: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.India: 2025 · World Bank
- GDP per capita
- Current USD per personUnited Kingdom: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.India: 2025 · World Bank
- GDP growth
- Annual real change (%)United Kingdom: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.India: 2025 · World Bank
- Policy interest rate
- Central bank instrument (%)India: 2026-10-06 · RBI policy repo rate · Reserve Bank of India (RBI) · Access date for Current Rates; does not represent a new decision on 6 October. · Alternative official source; verified 2026-10-06
- Inflation · annual average
- Average annual change in headline CPI (%)United Kingdom: 2025 · Average annual CPI change (%) · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.India: 2025 · Average annual CPI change (%) · World Bank
- Inflation · latest year-on-year figure
- Headline CPI relative to the same period of the previous year (%); monthly or fortnightly frequency statedUnited Kingdom: 2026-08 · Headline CPI; change relative to the same month of the previous year · ONS · Headline CPI, not CPIH or core inflation.India: 2026-08 · Headline CPI change relative to the same month of the previous year (%) · MoSPI / Press Information Bureau, Government of India · Published: 2026-09-14 · provisional · Provisional · Combined rural and urban headline CPI, 2024 base; provisional MoSPI figure. Not food or wholesale inflation. Provisional figure or official advance release; subject to revision.
- Unemployment
- % of the labour force; definition used by the stated institutionUnited Kingdom: 2025 · ILO modelled estimate, percentage of the labour force · World Bank · ILO est. · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.India: 2025 · World Bank · ILO est.
- Budget balance
- General government (% of GDP)United Kingdom: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · IMF WEO general-government estimate. Retains the source’s fiscal year when it differs from the calendar year.India: 2025 · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est.
- Gross public debt
- General government (% of GDP)United Kingdom: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · IMF WEO general-government estimate. Retains the source’s fiscal year when it differs from the calendar year.India: 2025 · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est.
- Current account balance
- % of GDPUnited Kingdom: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.India: 2025 · World Bank
- Population
- PeopleUnited Kingdom: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.India: 2025 · World Bank
- Area
- Total area in km²; territorial coverage of the sourceUnited Kingdom: 2023 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.India: 2023 · Total area including inland waters; territorial coverage of the source · World Bank · FAO
- Military expenditure
- Current USD per year; SIPRI series
- Military expenditure (% of GDP)
- Percentage of GDP; SIPRI definition, not NATO’s definition
Other data specific to this relationship
What they buy and sell
Documented selection, not an exhaustive list. Cells without a figure do not mean zero value; some products are identified without a verified amount.
United Kingdom to India
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
| Machinery and mechanical appliances | 1,853.8 M USD2025 · Source |
| Electrical and electronic equipment | 674.9 M USD2025 · Source |
| Land vehicles and components | 198.4 M USD2025 · Source |
| Pharmaceutical products | 89.5 M USD2025 · Source |
| Mineral fuels and oils | 87.5 M USD2025 · Source |
India to United Kingdom
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
| Electrical and electronic equipment | 2,110.5 M USD2025 · Source |
| Mineral fuels and oils | 1,502.3 M USD2025 · Source |
| Machinery and mechanical appliances | 1,343.9 M USD2025 · Source |
| Pharmaceutical products | 1,006.8 M USD2025 · Source |
| Land vehicles and components | 325.9 M USD2025 · Source |
Connections between people
Education, work, visits and community connections have their own records and procedures. Residents are not equivalent to annual arrivals, and visits may be repeated. The tables retain dates, definitions and sources to distinguish these connections from business contracts and government decisions. [2]
Residents, study and travel
Blank cells: data unavailable. Each measure retains its definition and period.
| Indicator | Value | Period / source |
|---|---|---|
| Residents from United Kingdom living in India | ||
| Residents from India living in United Kingdom | ||
| Study and training: United Kingdom in India | ||
| Study and training: India in United Kingdom | ||
| Academic stays: United Kingdom in India | ||
| Academic stays: India in United Kingdom | ||
| Travel: United Kingdom to India | ||
| Travel: India to United Kingdom |
What each figure measures
Residents are counted by nationality and the coverage of the stated register, not as people born in the other country or as new arrivals in one year. PERE includes dual nationals and people born outside Spain. Study with OPT and stays carrying academic credit are different measures. Travel may include several visits by the same person; FRONTUR arrivals require an overnight stay, whereas the Canadian survey includes day visits. These figures are neither added together nor automatically compared across directions.
Mobility data added or reviewed: 2026-10-07. Reference periods may be earlier.
Underlying ties
History, institutions and long-standing issues.
CETA signing and entry into force
The Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement was signed on 24 July 2025 and entered into force on 15 July 2026, according to the British Government. These are different stages. Preferences depend on the product, origin and treaty timetable. Its existence does not eliminate all technical controls or make every shipment an originating good eligible for preferential treatment. [1]
Technology and economic security
The Technology Security Initiative was launched in July 2024 to structure cooperation between government, industry and academia. The British summary presents it alongside economic dialogue, with purposes distinct from a goods tariff. Research and digital capabilities need specific projects. A technology initiative does not demonstrate transfer of all equipment or unrestricted access to sensitive knowledge. [2]
Contributions and mobility are not the same
The agreement summary distinguishes negotiations on a Double Contributions Convention. This concerns social security contributions in certain situations, not general authorisation for residence or employment. The trade treaty and visas retain their own rules. University and professional connections are observed through counts distinct from the total value of services or goods. [2]
The scale of the two economies
The United Kingdom recorded nominal GDP of 4,002.6 billion USD in 2025, compared with 3,956.1 in 2025 for India. The reference populations were 69.49 million (2025) and 1,463.87 million (2025), respectively. In the same year, the United Kingdom's nominal GDP was 1.01 times India's. These figures contextualise market size; they do not by themselves describe well-being, individual wealth or political influence. IMF estimates or population extrapolations retain their labels in the table. No ratio is calculated when periods do not match. [4] [5] [6] [7]
Recent developments
Recent developments and latest available data · Reviewed: 2026-10-07
Application since July 2026
The entry-into-force announcement moves from describing a signed treaty to a documented implementation milestone. The 2025 indicators provide the preceding reference, not an assessment of its first full year in operation. Future comparisons must retain compatible periods and distinguish tariff effects, prices and changes in business demand. [1]
Observed economic exchange
In 2025, recorded goods trade between the United Kingdom and India totalled 25,174.8 million USD. Shipments from the United Kingdom to India were 10,001.9 million USD; those in the reverse direction were 15,172.8 million USD. The United Kingdom's shipments to the partner represented 1.8% of its goods exports to the world, using the same year and reporter. A single customs reporting source is used for both directions. This annual flow does not include all services activity or affiliates' local sales and is not added to accumulated investment capital. [3]
Milestones and consequences
Sources and data
Periods and scope of the figures
Each figure retains its period, unit, definition and source. Announcements, contracts and results are not interchangeable. Empty cells do not mean zero. Customs data for 2025 are not presented as activity observed during later crises.
- Entry into force of the British–Indian treaty
UK Government · Institutional source · Document: 2026 · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Agreement content and technology cooperation
UK Government · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Annual TOTAL X/M; 2025; reporter 826; partners 0,643,699,124,36
UN Comtrade / GBR · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- NY.GDP.MKTP.CD; country ISO and year preserved; no military data; exact requested country subset independently re-fetched and values compared
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Official statistics
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-09-17
- SP.POP.TOTL; country ISO and year preserved; no military data; exact requested country subset independently re-fetched and values compared
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Official statistics
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-06
- HS2 27; 2025; reporter 826; partners 643,699,124,36; X/M; annual goods
UN Comtrade / GBR · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- HS2 30; 2025; reporter 826; partners 643,699,124,36; X/M; annual goods
UN Comtrade / GBR · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- HS2 84; 2025; reporter 826; partners 643,699,124,36; X/M; annual goods
UN Comtrade / GBR · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- HS2 85; 2025; reporter 826; partners 643,699,124,36; X/M; annual goods
UN Comtrade / GBR · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- HS2 87; 2025; reporter 826; partners 643,699,124,36; X/M; annual goods
UN Comtrade / GBR · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
Additional sources on products and human connections
- UN Comtrade / GBR
2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · HS2 27; 2025; reporter 826; partners 643,699,124,36; X/M; annual goods.
- UN Comtrade / GBR
2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · HS2 84; 2025; reporter 826; partners 643,699,124,36; X/M; annual goods.
- UN Comtrade / GBR
2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · HS2 85; 2025; reporter 826; partners 643,699,124,36; X/M; annual goods.
- UN Comtrade / GBR
2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · HS2 87; 2025; reporter 826; partners 643,699,124,36; X/M; annual goods.
- UN Comtrade / GBR
2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · HS2 30; 2025; reporter 826; partners 643,699,124,36; X/M; annual goods.