New Delhi: The India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), which comes into force later this month, could make it easier for film studios, streaming platforms and production houses of the two countries to collaborate seamlessly.
While the India–UK Film Co-Production Agreement, which recognizes qualifying projects as both British and Indian productions for incentives is already operational, the new agreement would help reduce some practical hurdles around these projects.
According to industry experts, the India-UK Film Co-Production Agreement would bring greater certainty regarding intellectual property, easier movement of talent, and improved access to services, making it simpler and more cost-effective for producers and reducing practical hurdles for projects.
The deal should improve investor confidence, encourage cross-border collaborations and make India a more attractive partner for international studios and streaming platforms, they added.
The opportunity comes as India's media and entertainment industry continues to expand. According to a FICCI-EY report, the sector reached ₹2.78 trillion in 2025 and is expected to grow to ₹2.86 trillion in 2026 before accelerating at a compound annual growth rate of over 7% to reach ₹3.3 trillion by 2028.
“A trade agreement doesn't, by itself, bring film shoots to a country,” said Prachi Shrivastava, founding advisor, Lawfinity Solutions. “What the FTA adds is mostly enabling: easier movement of crew and creative professionals, more certainty around intellectual property and its enforcement, and more confidence for UK studios and streamers investing in Indian production.”
The agreement could encourage more film and OTT productions in the UK by making collaboration with local crews, facilities and distributors easier.
Alay Razvi, managing partner at Accord Juris, said it could support co-productions, joint content development, licensing and distribution while strengthening copyright protection and digital enforcement. Clearer ownership rights and stronger enforcement become particularly valuable for streaming platforms, where content monetisation increasingly depends on licensing across markets.
Opening markets
According to Ishan Johri, partner at Khaitan & Co, CETA complements cultural agreements between the British Film Institute and the National Film Development Corporation, and between the UK producers' body Pact and the Producers Guild of India, creating a stronger framework for co-productions, overseas shoots, and content distribution. He pointed to the announcement by former UK PM Keir Starmer and Yash Raj Films on YRF returning to shoot three Bollywood films in the UK, creating over 3,000 jobs.
For productions from countries with co-production treaties with India, which include the UK, the minimum spend threshold of ₹3 crore is waived entirely, making a production eligible for the rebate regardless of budget sizemaking smaller co-productions eligible for incentives, said Madhu Gadodia, deputy managing partner, Naik Naik & Co.
"Production incentives and rebates available in markets such as the UK can significantly improve project economics by lowering net production costs and enhancing capital efficiency," said Rohit Dalmia, chairman and managing director of CineNow.
Beyond filmmaking, the UK brings strengths in AI research, creative technology and production infrastructure, while India offers creative talent, engineering capability and cost-efficient production at scale, said Ridhima Lulla, co-founder and co-president of Eros Innovation.
CETA's stronger intellectual property provisions are also expected to improve rights management, royalty administration and copyright enforcement, boosting investor confidence and increasing the commercial value of content, according to Anushree Rauta, equity partner at ANM Global.
To be sure, besides the UK, countries, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Australia, New Zealand, Spain, Italy, Hungary, Canada and Eastern European markets already offer attractive tax rebates, simplified filming permissions and production support to international studios.
“If these incentives continue to expand, Indian producers are likely to increasingly evaluate projects from a global production perspective, selecting jurisdictions based upon commercial viability, logistical ease and financial incentives rather than purely creative considerations,” said Sonam Chandwani, managing partner, KS Legal & Associates.
This trend could significantly internationalise Indian content production while also encouraging higher technical standards and greater collaboration with foreign creative talent, Chandwani added.