• DE
Choose your location?
  • Global Global
  • Australian flag Australia
  • French flag France
  • German flag Germany
  • Irish flag Ireland
  • Italian flag Italy
  • Polish flag Poland
  • Qatar flag Qatar
  • Spanish flag Spain
  • UAE flag UAE
  • UK flag UK

2025: A year in summary for India business and markets

02 January 2026

2025 marked a year of remarkable achievements for both India and DWF in several areas.  India’s ambitious climate agenda inspired a nationwide drive towards net-zero emissions by 2070, rapid expansion of renewable energy capacity, and pioneering investments in green hydrogen and electric vehicles. The launch of a $1.3 billion green hydrogen hub in partnership with Germany positioned India at the forefront of the global clean energy transition.

India’s thriving start-up ecosystem produced over 115 unicorns, projected to add $1 trillion to the economy by 2030. This entrepreneurial surge is powered by a vast consumer market, digital inclusion, and supportive government initiatives, establishing India as a leader in fintech, e-commerce, and SaaS innovation. Robust investment in real estate and shipbuilding further underscores the nation’s emergence as a self-reliant, confident hub for growth across Asia-Pacific and beyond.

Generative artificial intelligence has had a transformative impact across automotive, retail, and legal sectors, with the government demonstrating a strong commitment to ethical AI adoption. India’s aspirations in 6G technology, quantum computing, and space exploration are matched by policy reforms designed to attract foreign investment and modernise critical sectors.  The nation’s progress in technology, sustainability, and regulatory reform is creating new opportunities for businesses and investors, positioning India as a confident leader on the global stage.

The Union Budget 2025 revealed a strategic focus on tax reforms, infrastructure, and manufacturing, while adeptly navigating the complexities of global trade tensions and tariff negotiations. A landmark milestone was the UK-India trade deal, which promises to reshape bilateral commerce and strengthen economic ties between two major economies. 

Alongside India’s many successes amid global volatility, DWF continued its successes being the law firm located outside India to have a 100-lawyer strong India Group.  The DWF India Group was formed on Diwali in November 2023 and since then it has grown rapidly, now consisting of 115 lawyers from 16 practice areas, 9 sector groups and 9 jurisdictions. 

The DWF India Group won the Excellence in Law category at the GG2 Leadership Awards in front of the former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.  It was also shortlisted for the award of “Legal Practice of the Year” at the 6th Annual UK-India Awards in 2024.  DWF hosted its first ever India client reception in our London office, with over 150 registered attendees and over 40 DWF lawyers from 9 of our offices in 5 countries including the UK, France, Poland, Italy and UAE attending.

I was honoured to be listed right at the top of the India Business Law Journal’s International (IBLJ) A-List 2025 with 47 nominations from Indian general counsels and law firms (the most of any lawyer at any international law firm), for my work on cross-border aspects of India-related matters. The International A-List features the world’s top-tier international lawyers outside India, based on recommendations by general counsels and lawyers at Indian law firms. DWF was ranked as an International Firm to Watch by the IBLJ in 2025. 

Gianni Vettorello from our Milan office and our India Group has continued his active role as president of the India Business Forum of Italy. 

The DWF India Group published 12 articles in 2025 co-authored by over 45 fee earners, covering key updates in the India market.  These articles have been compiled in this guide summarising the key developments for each month in 2025 for India business and markets.  These articles cover a wide variety of topics including:

We hope that you find our collection of articles interesting and we would welcome any feedback that you may have.

Download the report here

Further Reading