Leasing activity in India’s industrial & logistics sector surged to 19.1 million sq. ft. across eight major cities during the first half of 2023 (Jan-Jun), marking a substantial 35% year-on-year increase, according to a report by CBRE South Asia Pvt. Ltd. Leasing activity was led by Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, and Chennai, accounting for a collective 60% share in total leasing during January-June. Notably, all cities, except Bengaluru, exhibited a discernible upswing in I&L leasing as compared to the same period in the previous year. The report suggests that festival season sales are likely to contribute to sustained leasing activity during July-December. The supply side also witnessed impressive growth, recording a substantial 78% YoY increase, culminating at 17.7 million sq. ft. during Jan-Jun. This surge was attributed to the culmination of pent-up supply in select cities. Key contributors to this growth were Chennai, Kolkata, and Mumbai, collectively accounting for more than half of the total project completions, the report added.
Major developers, backed by institutional funds, played a crucial role in this supply surge, contributing approximately 39% to the overall supply during the same period. Project completions were predominantly observed in Delhi-NCR, followed by Chennai and Hyderabad, collectively representing over two-thirds of project finalizations.