techUK and Confederation of Indian Industries Publish UK-India Technology Report to Deepen Innovation, Trade, and Talent Links
[LONDON/NEW DELHI], 15 July 2025 – techUK and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) have today launched a new joint report, outlining an ambitious roadmap to advance innovation, safeguard critical technologies, and strengthen high-tech trade and talent flows between the UK and India.
The report sets out a shared vision for building a trusted, secure, and innovation-led tech corridor between the two countries, grounded in mutual interests across sectors including semiconductors, artificial intelligence (AI), quantum computing, and telecommunications. It is the product of extensive consultation since March 2025 with leading businesses, academic institutions, and policymakers on both sides. The report follows techUK’s first ever members delegation to India in February 2025.
At its core, the report issues five high-impact recommendations for both countries’ governments aimed at turning strategic alignment into practical, scalable cooperation across both economies.
Incentivise Innovation
Create a joint R&D roadmap focused on co-developing technologies and targeted product segments. This would unlock opportunities for UK and Indian enterprises and universities to jointly build future-ready tech solutions in areas like AI safety, compound semiconductors, and edge computing.
Nurture Talent
Enhance mobility between the UK and India by reforming the UK’s High Potential Individual (HPI) visa to enable a more flexible and innovation-driven flow of talent. This would help create a bridge of next-generation technologists, researchers, and entrepreneurs between the two nations.
Promote Trade
Expand the UK’s Open General Export Licence (OGEL) regime to include more dual-use technologies and grant India access to the UK’s GEA001 licence. These changes would significantly ease high-tech exports, improve supply chain security, and enable more agile technology transfers between trusted partners.
Jumpstart Collaboration
Explore the establishment of a deep-tech "Catapult-style" centre in India to accelerate joint product development and commercialisation between UK and Indian tech ecosystems. This would give UK innovators a platform to test, scale, and collaborate with Indian counterparts in priority sectors.
Track Progress
Create a Track 1.5 Industry-to-Government dialogue to ensure regular, accountable, and action-oriented engagement on the UK-India tech agenda. This channel would allow key stakeholders to monitor delivery, share intelligence, and ensure continued momentum behind TSI goals.
The second half of the report focuses on technology-specific recommendations, with a focus on Artificial Intelligence, Semiconductors, and Telecoms.
The report stresses that these actions must be implemented with urgency and focus, particularly as both countries seek trusted international partners to de-risk supply chains and lead in the responsible development of emerging technologies.
Julian David OBE, CEO of techUK, said:
“The UK-India partnership is critical to techUK’s members and to both nations’ digital ambitions. With the landmark UK-India Free Trade Agreement now concluded and the exciting Technology Security Initiative signed last year, we have an unprecedented platform from which to deepen cooperation on next-generation technologies. Our new policy paper translates that momentum into a practical agenda both governments can act on now; spanning joint R&D and streamlined export controls to talent mobility and the creation of stronger, more interconnected AI, semiconductor and telecoms ecosystems."
Notes to Editors
techUK International Policy and Trade programme