UK, India plan structured matchmaking for producers, financiers, storytellers

Mumbai: The creative industries of the United Kingdom and India are moving closer to a structured partnership, as both sides push for smoother production rules, greater access to regional incentives, and simpler clearance systems for cross-border shoots.

At a roundtable held at FICCI Frames 2025, the BRICS-UK creative industries exchange, senior representatives from the British Film Commission (BFC), British Film Institute (BFI), and regional film offices met Indian producers, studio heads, and animation leaders to explore opportunities for collaboration.

The talks come at a time when the UK is introducing a new 40% enhanced expenditure credit for films made under a £15 million budget. The incentive, aimed at driving small and medium-scale co-productions, is being positioned as a major boost for Indian producers looking to expand into global storytelling.

“We have seen a growing appetite for South Asian stories and creators in the UK market,” a senior British Film Commission official said. “The enhanced credit makes the UK one of the most competitive destinations for co-productions in the world.”

Indian producers call for a single-window system

While the UK highlighted its revamped tax credits and regional funding routes, Indian producers urged for a single-window clearance mechanism that would make filming in the UK faster and more transparent.

Producers pointed out that permissions for shoots across multiple regions in the UK often involve complex paperwork and approvals from different councils and agencies, increasing both time and cost.

“We are keen on collaborating, but the process needs to be simplified,” said one Mumbai-based production executive. “If India can manage single-window clearance through FFO (Film Facilitation Office), the UK should consider something similar to attract more projects.”

Industry insiders suggested that a clear, one-point interface for foreign producers, similar to India’s FFO model, would immediately unlock interest from Indian studios eyeing projects in the UK.

Regional UK film clusters open new opportunities

Another key takeaway from the roundtable was the rise of regional film clusters across the UK as potential soft landing zones for Indian productions. Representatives from film offices in Yorkshire, Scotland, and Wales highlighted the availability of local incentives, post-production facilities, and tie-ups with universities to support international filmmaking.

Yorkshire’s film office, for example, is offering direct collaboration support for Indian producers seeking to locate productions outside London, while Scotland and Wales are promoting 

themselves as cost-efficient, culturally diverse alternatives for shoots and animation work.

“Each UK metro mayor now controls a creative industries budget of around £25 million. That opens a lot of flexibility to work directly with regional offices rather than just through national channels,” one UK delegate noted. 

Indian producers attending the meeting expressed strong interest in exploring these regional hubs, particularly for projects requiring historic architecture, natural landscapes, or specialised visual effects infrastructure.

Animation and VFX collaborations on the table

The discussions also saw participation from Indian animation studios such as Green Gold and Emmy-nominated filmmakers, who sought clarity on co-production eligibility for animated content financed from India. 

UK officials assured that the revised credit system would cover most hybrid formats, including animation, VFX-heavy storytelling, and live-action projects.

There was also a growing interest in finding UK-based distributors for Indian animated content, particularly for audiences in the Indian diaspora across Europe.

The timing of the session aligns with the UK government’s ongoing Free Trade Agreement (FTA) discussions with India, where creative trade and intellectual property are expected to feature prominently. 

Officials present indicated that the UK sees the creative industries as a key pillar of the FTA narrative, offering mutual gains through talent exchange, content co-creation, and innovation-driven exports.

Focus on inclusivity and women-led stories

In line with the BRICS theme of women’s empowerment in media and entertainment, the roundtable also touched upon opportunities for women-led productions and mentorship. Participants agreed that co-productions could help amplify diverse voices and provide new pathways for female storytellers to reach global audiences.

To make these opportunities tangible, both sides acknowledged the need for a matchmaking framework, a structured platform to help producers, financiers, and creative professionals find reliable cross-border partners.

The UK side offered to explore models for such collaboration through the BFC and regional offices, while Indian delegates proposed industry-led networks involving producers’ guilds and trade associations.

As the session concluded, the tone was clear: both India and the UK are eager to move beyond symbolic partnership and create practical, business-friendly systems that will turn their creative ambitions into action.

If implemented, the combination of enhanced UK tax credits, regional funding access, and a single-window clearance system could mark a major turning point for Indo-UK co-productions, spanning feature films, streaming originals, animation, and visual effects.