Rising investor participation fuels growth of Indian REITs and InvITs

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) & Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs) are accelerating the institutionalisation and democratisation of India’s real estate sector, driven by rising investor participation, strong operational performance of underlying assets, asset acquisition and supportive policies.

The REIT/InvIT ecosystem has expanded steadily over the past 5–6 years in terms of asset class and size, geography and investor base.

The market now comprises five office-focused REITs alongside a retail REIT and an industrial & warehousing focused InvIT, reflecting scalability of REIT/InvIT structures in India, according to a survey by Colliers India.

As per the Colliers’ latest report “India REITs: Gaining scale & unlocking value”, existing portfolio across the listed REITs/InvIT has surpassed 195 million sq ft with an upcoming pipeline of 37 million sq ft as of March 2026. While the office segment continues to dominate with around 84 per cent share in the operational portfolio of existing Indian REIT/InvIT, retail and industrial & warehousing segments are gaining momentum.

In case of office segment, the existing REIT portfolio remains largely concentrated in Tier I cities, given the depth of institutional-grade supply and occupier demand in these markets. Of the total ~164 million sq ft of existing stock under office REITs, Bengaluru dominates with 42% share followed by Hyderabad, Mumbai & Delhi NCR with 12-15% share each.

Interestingly, the geographical diversification of REIT/InvIT assets is more evident in retail and industrial & warehousing segments, in line with the broader market trend of emerging consumption and logistics hubs which are already witnessing notable activity. At around 7.5 and 5.4 million sq ft of operational stock in these emerging cities, Tier II/III markets currently account for around 35% and 51% of the industrial & warehousing InvIT and retail REIT portfolio respectively.

Operational assets under office REITs in India have witnessed more than two-fold rise in the last five years, rising from around 72 million sq ft in 2021 to 164 million sq ft at the end of March 2026. Resultantly, REIT penetration indicated by the proportion of office stock under REITs as compared to the overall office stock increased from around 11% to 19% during the same period. At the city level, Bengaluru has the highest REIT penetration level amongst the Tier I office markets with about 30% of city’s existing Grade A office stock already listed under REITs. Hyderabad, Mumbai & Pune follow with a REIT penetration of about 15-20%. Notably, more than two-thirds of the office stock under existing REITs is spread across Secondary Business District (SBDs) of major cities.

“With another leading developer recently monetising its portfolio, the number of office REITs has expanded to five and overall operational stock within these REITs has increased from around 72 million sq ft in 2021 to over 160 million sq ft as on date.

Consequently, almost one-fifth of India’s Grade A office stock across the top seven markets is currently under REITs, signaling a steady shift toward institutionalization and growing investor confidence in income-generating assets. Notably, with an additional 370 million sq ft of existing Grade A office stock having the potential to be listed as future REITs, the runway for REIT growth in the office segment remains promising. Looking ahead, REIT penetration levels in the office market can potentially reach 30% by 2030, supported by influx of high quality green-certified assets, strong occupier demand and sustained investor appetite”, says Badal Yagnik, CEO & Managing Director, Colliers India.

About 370 million sq ft of additional office stock, accounting for 43% of the total Grade A stock across Tier I cities, has the potential to be included in future REITs. Hyderabad & Bengaluru cumulatively account for around 40% of this incremental stock with future REIT potential.

My Daughter is an OCI card holder. Are there restrictions while investing in residential property in India? Kindly clarify. Kausar Pathan, Sharjah

She can purchase in her name. While investing the funds have to be routed through an NRE account or direct overseas remittance. While joint ownership with a local resident is permissible, it may complicate repatriation process while selling and repatriating. As per regulations, she can repatriate upto two residential properties after payment of tax and completion of certain formalities.

I hold three residential properties jointly with my wife and we intend selling two of them to reinvest in a bigger flat. Please suggest how to minimise capital gains tax? Shashi Khatwani, Dubai.

Assuming both of you have undivided rights, long-term capital gains will be payable if they are held for a period of two years or more. The liability will depend upon the ratio of individual holding. Each one of you will have to individually compute the liability.

The liability for payment of long-term capital gains tax. You can reinvest in a new property availing the deduction and complying with the stipulations under section 54.