The Success of Indian Tech Companies in The United Kingdom

• In Entrepreneurship
• 11 Apr 2022, 06:15 AM
• By Technologist Confidant

A 'golden age' of trade with the UK might benefit Indian tech companies. Strong demand in the technology sector, combined with less stringent restrictions, has made it easier than ever for Indian companies to enter the UK market. More Indian tech companies could take advantage of the favourable economic and legislative environment provided by the United Kingdom's exit from the European Union. Tech and telecoms companies wishing to venture into the UK should consider that investment in smaller UK businesses increased by 9 per cent last year to £8.8 billion. A further £4.5 billion was raised in the first three months of 2021, extending the trend. Companies that are focused on technology have done exceptionally well. During the epidemic, funds accumulated by investors eager to invest in new initiatives provide fertile ground for international businesses seeking opportunities.

According to a survey by business consultants Grant Thornton and the Confederation of Indian Industry, 2020 was a landmark year for Indian tech enterprises with UK offices and subsidiaries. According to the report, Route Mobile UK's UK offices expanded by 202 per cent, while Dhoot Transmission (UK) Ltd grew by 186 per cent, and Incessant Technologies rose by 81 per cent. Meanwhile, newcomers to the UK, Evolutionary Systems Co Ltd and RateGain Technologies Ltd, increased by 142 per cent and 105 per cent, respectively.

Heading towards a clean and prosperous future

Boris Johnson, the British Prime Minister, and Narendra Modi, the Indian Prime Minister, established a new flagship international effort in November 2021 to radically expedite the worldwide transition to a clean-energy world. The COP26 climate summit saw the inauguration of Clean Energy World. The 'Green Grids Initiative' intends to speed up the development and implementation of interconnected power grids across continents, countries, and communities, boosting energy access for the poorest people through mini-grids and off-grid solutions. It has the support of nearly 80 countries.

Businesses will be able to rapidly scale and accelerate the deployment of sustainable technologies while also lowering costs globally under the proposal. The proposal is unquestionably beneficial to the environment. It's also excellent for business, and it's a beautiful example of the international clout that Indian corporations now wield.

Growth in FDI

The inflow of Indian foreign direct investment is at an all-time high. Indian companies are growing their operations in both developing and developed markets. Tata Motors lorries, for example, are utilised for anything from construction to garbage collecting throughout Africa. TATA Motors has set up production lines in many countries like South Africa and Malaysia.

Bharti Airtel's mobile telecommunications networks keep citizens throughout the continent connected. Aditya Birla Group is also one of Egypt's most prominent industrial investors and exporters. India's investment in underdeveloped countries has continuously increased. According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, it was over $46 billion in 2019, up from around $40 billion in 2010. Around $30 billion is in Asia, and approximately $13 billion is in Africa.

Indian FDI in the UK

In the United Kingdom, agreements like the Tata Group's purchase of Tetley Tea or Jaguar Land Rover involved well-known and well-loved brands. According to recent research conducted by Grant Thornton UK LLP in collaboration with the High Commission of India in the United Kingdom and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, 654 Indian diaspora-owned businesses in the United Kingdom have a turnover of at least £100,000 and contribute £36.84 billion to the UK economy. B&M Retail Ltd is the largest employer, employing about 26,500 employees, whereas Boparan Holdings, a food and beverage company, employs nearly 22,000 workers across the UK. As the UK seeks greater commercial connections with India, leading to a free trade agreement, the chances for Indian corporate expansion and investment in the UK will definitely rise in the coming years.

Despite the uncertainties surrounding the UK's exit from the European Union (EU) in 2020, Indian investors continued to invest in the UK, participating in ten acquisitions, four of which were in the technology and telecoms sector. The tech and telecom sectors are expected to remain productive terrain for Indian companies, and the UK's new visa and immigration rules make it easier for senior Indian executives to come to the UK to open satellite offices and subsidiaries.

Routes for Indian nationals to the UK

Rishi Sunak, the British Chancellor, has announced the development of a Global Talent Network in three regions, one of which would be Bangalore, in 2022. The network will collaborate with businesses and research institutes to identify and recruit exceptional people to work in science and technology in the United Kingdom. Indeed, nowhere is the successful export of Indian business more evident than in the technology sector of the United Kingdom.

The UK Sole Representative Visa is ideal for Indian entrepreneurs who want to expand their business into new countries and take advantage of the UK's favourable environment for tech SMEs. It may also serve as a springboard to full British citizenship. To be considered for a position as a sole representative, an applicant must be recruited and hired outside of the United Kingdom by an active and trading company whose headquarters and principal place of business are, and will stay, outside of the United Kingdom. Successful candidates must possess the necessary abilities, experience, and expertise to perform the job and occupy a senior position in the company without owning or controlling the majority of it. They must be able to exhibit that they have complete authority to make decisions on behalf of the parent company.

In the meantime, in 2022, two more visa kinds will be introduced. Graduates from top global colleges can apply for the High Potential Individual visa, which allows them to travel to the UK without a job offer and work without restrictions, possibly settling in the UK provided specific requirements are met. The Scale-Up visa is for people who have a job offer from an eligible company.

There has been a significant surge in requests from Indian citizens seeking work visas in the UK, owing to recent changes in UK immigration rules. Several policies have been implemented to promote more skilled people and investment in the United Kingdom. For example, the resident labour market test has been scrapped, the skills threshold for visa applicants has been relaxed, and the two-year post-study visa, which permits international students to stay in the UK after their studies have ended, has been resurrected.

Way forward

While the COVID-19 pandemic distracted focus away from the UK's desire to negotiate a trade agreement with India, the UK government remains committed to doing so. As a result, Mumbai was one of 18 cities targeted by a recent British public relations trade effort. A free trade agreement between the UK and India will take time to negotiate. However, in the meantime, UK officials have continued to court their Indian counterparts and have established several smaller trade partnerships in the last year, including the "transformational" Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, announced in May 2021, with the signing of a UK-India Enhanced Trade Partnership (ETP) and commitments to double trade by 2030 and begin FTA negotiations by the end of 2022.