Brexit and India
Reportedly, the UK-India Trade Agreement, signed in July 2025, is expected to increase bilateral trade by £25.5 billion annually in the long term, and will lower tariffs on a range of products, including whisky and automotive goods.
Bearing this in mind, it is worth examining recent trade and investment statistics between the UK and India.
According to a UK Department for Business & Trade (DBT) factsheet issued on 31st October 2025, total trade in goods and services ( exports plus imports) between the UK and India was £47.2 billion in the four quarters to the end of Quarter 2 (Q2) 2025, an increase of 15.2 % or £6.2 billion in current prices from the four quarters to the end of Q2 2024. Of this £47.2 billion:
- Total UK exports to India amounted to £18.8 billion in the four quarters to the end of Q2 2025 ( an increase of 19.1 % or £3.0 billion in current prices, compared to the four quarters to the end
of Q2 2024);and
- Total UK imports from India amounted to £28.4 billion in the four quarters to the end of Q2 2025 ( an increase of 12.7% or £3.2 billion in current prices, compared to the four quarters to the end of Q2 2024).
The DBT factsheet showed that India was the UK’s 10th largest trading partner in the four quarters to the end of Q2 2025 accounting for 2.5% of total UK trade.
The factsheet also showed that , at the end of 2023, the stock of FDI ( Foreign Direct Investment) from the UK in India was £17.5 billion , 12.9% or £2.6 billion lower than at the end of 2022. At the end of 2023, India reportedly accounted for 0.9% of the total UK outward FDI stock.
According to the factsheet, at the end of 2023, the stock of FDI from India in the UK was £12.4 billion,22.2% or £2.3 billion higher that at the end of 2022. At the end of 2023, India reportedly accounted for 0.6% of the total UK inward FDI stock.
The growth prospects for bilateral UK-India trade and investment are exciting and will no doubt be monitored closely in coming years.
This trading and investment relationship is certainly something of a post-Brexit priority for the UK!
Brexit and Mozart’s Requiem
On 8th November 2025, the day before Remembrance Sunday when the UK remembers and commemorates its fallen fighters in two World Wars and other conflicts, the choir and musicians of Holy Trinity Church , Sloane Square, London, made their own dedication to this solemn act of remembrance by performing Mozart’s Requiem and other great choral works on the theme of remembrance. The conductor was the church’s talented director of music, Max Barley.
The choral works were performed variously in English, German and, in the case of Mozart’s Requiem itself, Latin, and beneath the magnificent high- vaulted ceiling of the church the voices of song soared and the music inspired the packed audience, who were clearly caught up in the significance of the moment.
The international flavour of the concert – and in particular the coming together of British and Germanic musical traditions – was particularly apt for this celebration of remembrance and peace and reminded one of the greater ties that bind over the conflicts of day to day.
Brexit was a point in history but, as London and indeed the wider UK demonstrate through their vibrant cultural life, the need for peoples to come together and share their poignant experiences has never been greater.
Brexit and British Oatcakes
On 17th November 2025, The Times reported that the UK Government is “battling” to save the British oatcake, which is at risk from an EU ban on mycotoxins, a naturally occurring mould which can occur in low dosages in British oatcakes but where a UK Food Standards Agency report in 2014 opined that its presence was “well below the tolerable daily intake” in the case of British oatcakes.
The Times, in an editorial on 17th November 2025, argued that the UK Government should negotiate an “opt-out” for the British oatcake in its “reset” negotiations with the EU.
The Times report concluded that “the dispute has echoes of Brexit when the EU threatened to stop British sausages being sold in Northern Ireland because they breached rules on the sale of chilled uncooked meat. In the end that was solved after the EU backed down in return for the UK labelling packets “not for EU” on them.”.
Interesting times!
Brexit and AIM ( Alternative Investment Market)
On 21st November 2025, the London Stock Exchange reportedly published AIM Notice 60, in which it announced the publication of Discussion Paper Feedback Statement , “Shaping the Future of AIM”. As a result of the feedback received, it was announced in AIM Notice 60 that a number of immediate measures would be implemented through derogations or updates to guidance, pending amendments to the AIM Rules for Companies, including:-
- The consideration of Derogation Requests would be considered in a number of areas;
- Dual class structures which met the current Main Market requirements would be considered acceptable for prospective AIM companies;
- Nominated Advisers would no longer be required to provide a fair and reasonable view on directors’ remuneration ( not being part of the standard remuneration package) under AIM Rule 13 if they were satisfied that there are reasonable commercial protections in place for the company; and
- AIM would support Nominated Advisers working on prospective AIM Designated Market admissions to ensure a fast-track route market.
It is understood that these measures would be followed , in the first half of 2026, by a consultation on changes to the AIM Rules and a new technical note for Nominated Advisers.
Changing times!
Disclaimer: This article contains general commentary only and should not be relied upon as legal advice.
