While Japanese companies such as Honda and Nissan are retreating from the UK, Indian businesses are planning to exploit opportunities arising out of Brexit. They hope to benefit even if the British pound sinks as this could help mitigate some of the risks. Indian M&A has tend to increase when British assets become cheaper to buy. India has a huge market and the economy is not export-based. It is more of a domestic market so there is an opportunity for Indian companies to start exporting. Besides, Indians are used to the tariff regime and the uncertainty and chaos. There could be opportunities for Indian companies in manufacturing in the UK and for cross-border M&As if similar businesses need capital.

Brexit is only impacting a limited number of Indian businesses operating and investing in the UK. Beyond those manufacturing companies that rely on just-in-time supply chains and who trade between the UK and the EU, the vast majority of Indian companies located in the UK are for UK-specific reasons. These include having a presence in and access to the fifth largest market in the world - a market where Indian companies can access the upstream strengths of the UK in engineering, electronics, and increasingly in big data, AI, and the internet of things.