India, Vietnam & Korea tipped as top UK tech markets

India, Vietnam and South Korea are expected to be the strongest growth markets for United Kingdom technology companies in 2026, according to consultancy Intralink, which is urging firms to step up their expansion efforts across Asia.

Jonathan Cleave, Group Managing Director at Intralink, said UK tech firms had so far realised only a small part of the potential in these markets. He warned that companies could lose ground to competitors from other regions if they delay entry or scale-up plans.

Intralink is headquartered in Oxfordshire and focuses on international business development. The firm has worked in Asia for more than three decades and says it supported 203 UK companies with export strategies in 2024. It has staff in 27 locations including major Asian hubs such as Shanghai, New Delhi, Tokyo, Seoul and Singapore, as well as offices in London, Paris, Silicon Valley, Boston and Toronto.

India in focus

Cleave forecast that India would present the largest commercial prize in 2026. He cited the country's economic scale, growing research and development spending and a government that is prioritising business growth.

India has an economy worth around USD $4 trillion and projections indicate that this could grow eightfold by 2047. The country produces about a third of the world's STEM graduates. It has over 900 million digital users and a rapidly expanding middle class. Cleave described this combination as creating extensive openings for overseas technology providers.

He highlighted several areas that he expects to show the fastest growth for UK firms in India next year. These include automotive and electric mobility, cleantech, medtech and life sciences. He argued that British companies with strengths in these sectors could build partnerships with Indian manufacturers, hospitals and research institutions.

"In India, government policy, global capital and domestic talent are converging at a pace that will make 2026 the ideal time for UK innovators to enter the market. But the window could soon close as US, European and Middle Eastern competitors crowd in," said Cleave.

Vietnam opportunities

The consultancy also singled out Vietnam as a priority target for UK exporters. The country has delivered economic growth of about 7% a year in recent periods. Its government has supported trade and investment and its economy has shown resilience through disruptions to global supply chains.

Intralink expects Vietnam's demographics to underpin demand for digital products and services. The country has a population of more than 100 million people. A large share are young and entering the workforce, which creates a long-term labour pool and a consumer base that is adopting new technologies.

Growth in Vietnam is coming from advanced manufacturing, property, agriculture and professional services. The consultancy believes these sectors will offer UK firms openings in areas such as industrial automation software, clean manufacturing solutions, agri-tech tools and digital platforms for financial and professional services.

Cleave said that the market's combination of scale, growth and supply chain diversification made it a logical destination for UK tech that is looking beyond traditional export markets in Europe and North America.

South Korea's AI push

In South Korea, Intralink expects government spending plans and new regulations in artificial intelligence to create commercial space for foreign suppliers. Seoul has outlined major public investment in AI infrastructure and next-generation data centres from 2026. It is also preparing a national AI regulatory framework.

Cleave said these measures would create demand for external technologies and services around AI platforms and enterprise tools. He also pointed to the need for cybersecurity products and infrastructure-integration technologies as Korean organisations upgrade systems.

He argued that UK firms with strengths in AI research, data management, security and systems integration could find buyers and partners among Korean conglomerates, telecoms groups and public sector bodies.

"Vietnam and Korea also offer compelling opportunities for UK tech firms as demographic shifts, rising digitalisation and gaps in home-grown innovation drive demand for international collaboration," said Cleave.

Asia wealth growth

The consultancy's outlook aligns with forecasts from UK policymakers on the scale of wealth creation in Asia. A recent report by the UK Parliament's Business & Trade Committee projected that GBP £7 trillion of new wealth would be generated in the Asia Pacific region, excluding China, within five years. The committee said this would be more than double the UK's current GDP.

The same report warned that the UK still underperforms in these markets relative to its technological strengths. It concluded that more British firms needed to develop tailored export strategies across the region.

Cleave said companies needed to approach Asian markets with careful preparation. He cited differences in business culture, procurement procedures and regulatory frameworks as common hurdles that could delay market entry if not addressed in advance.

"Distinct business cultures, procurement processes and regulatory frameworks can be challenging. But with the right guidance, the combination of rising tech investment in Asia and long-term structural trends makes these markets among the most attractive in the world for ambitious UK tech firms in 2026," said Cleave.