Indian Real Estate Attracts Big Money: Investments Surge

The Indian real estate sector witnessed a significant surge in institutional investments during the July-September period of 2024. According to a report released by property consultancy Vestian, total investments reached $0.96 billion, marking a 41% year-on-year increase. While this represents a sharp decline from the record-breaking $3.1 billion investments in the previous quarter, the overall outlook for the sector remains positive.

The uptick in investments can be attributed to India’s robust economic growth amidst global challenges. Foreign investors’ confidence in the Indian market has grown, leading to a substantial increase in their share of investments from 27% in Q3 2023 to 46% in Q3 2024. Domestic investors’ share declined slightly to 43% from 71% in the same period last year, but the decrease in value was only 15%. FRICS, CEO of Vestian, highlighted the investor confidence in India’s growth story, driven by strong GDP growth. This confidence has attracted foreign investors to the real estate sector, contributing to the significant increase in institutional investments.

Additionally, domestic investors continue to actively participate, supported by the rapid infrastructure development across the country. The report also revealed a shift in investor preferences. While residential assets were the top choice for domestic investors, foreign investors accounted for 64% of commercial deals. The growing prominence of work-from-office mandates and global capability centers (GCCs) has attracted foreign investors to the commercial real estate sector, leading to a surge in its share from 24% to 71% in Q3 2024. Chennai emerged as the top investment destination during the quarter, accounting for 48% of the total investments. The city’s appeal lies in its diverse investment opportunities across industrial, warehousing, commercial, and residential sectors.

Proptech platforms have also gained traction in the Indian real estate market. With a 22% share of total investments in Q3 2024, proptech platforms are expected to play an increasingly important role in the sector as artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies are adopted. Overall, the Indian real estate sector is witnessing a positive trend, driven by strong economic growth and increasing investor confidence. As the country continues to develop and modernize, the demand for quality real estate assets is expected to remain high, attracting further institutional investments.