India Office Leasing Soars 15% in Q1 2026, Led by Tech and GCCs

India's office real estate market started 2026 strongly with a 15% year-on-year increase in leasing activity, reaching 18.3 million square feet in the first quarter. Major cities like Bengaluru and Hyderabad were primary growth drivers, together accounting for nearly half of the total leasing volume. The expansion of Global Capability Centers (GCCs) was a key factor, contributing to nearly half of all leasing, while technology and BFSI firms dominated conventional office demand. Simultaneously, the flexible workspace segment saw explosive growth, with leasing by flex operators jumping 77% compared to the same period last year.

Key Points: India Office Market Leasing Jumps 15% in Q1 2026

  • 15% YoY leasing growth to 18.3 mn sq ft
  • Bengaluru & Hyderabad drive nearly 50% of activity
  • GCCs account for half of total leasing
  • Flex space demand surges 77% YoY
2 min read

India office market leasing jumps 15 pc in Q1 2026

India's office leasing hits 18.3 mn sq ft in Q1 2026, a 15% YoY rise. Growth driven by tech, BFSI, and booming flex spaces.

"India continues to remain a preferred destination for office space in the Asia-Pacific region - Colliers India report"

New Delhi, March 26

India's office real estate market has begun 2026 on a strong note, with leasing activity touching 18.3 million square feet in the January-March quarter, a report said on Thursday.

This marks a 15 per cent increase compared to the same period last year, according to a report by Colliers India.

The growth was largely driven by major cities like Bengaluru and Hyderabad, which together accounted for nearly half of the total leasing activity at 8.7 million square feet.

Other key markets including Mumbai, Pune, Delhi NCR and Chennai also saw healthy demand, each recording leasing between 2 and 3 million square feet.

Notably, Hyderabad and Pune witnessed more than double the demand compared to a year ago.

The report highlights that India continues to remain a preferred destination for office space in the Asia-Pacific region, supported by the expansion of Global Capability Centers (GCCs) and strong occupier demand across sectors.

GCCs alone contributed nearly half of the total leasing during the quarter, indicating sustained confidence among global firms in India's office market.

On the supply side, new office space additions remained robust at 11.8 million square feet in the first quarter, up 19 per cent year-on-year.

Bengaluru led the supply pipeline, contributing nearly 47 per cent of the total new completions, followed by Delhi NCR with a 17 per cent share.

Chennai and Mumbai also saw significant additions of about 1.5 million square feet each.

Conventional office leasing continued to dominate, accounting for 14.4 million square feet of the total demand.

Technology and BFSI (banking, financial services and insurance) companies were the key drivers, together making up nearly two-thirds of this segment.

Technology firms alone contributed 36 per cent of conventional leasing, with Bengaluru and Hyderabad emerging as the top destinations.

At the same time, flexible workspace operators are gaining traction. Leasing by flex space providers rose sharply by 77 per cent year-on-year to nearly 4 million square feet, making up 21 per cent of overall leasing.

Delhi NCR and Hyderabad led this segment, while cities like Kolkata and Delhi NCR saw particularly strong adoption, with flex operators accounting for around 40 per cent of total leasing.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Great for the economy, but I hope this growth is sustainable. The infrastructure in these cities, especially traffic in Bangalore, is already bursting at the seams. Need massive investment in public transport alongside these office towers.
R
Rohit P
Hyderabad doubling its demand? Wow! The state's proactive policies and good infrastructure are really paying off. As someone in the BFSI sector, I'm not surprised. Lots of hiring and expansion plans in my company too.
S
Sarah B
Interesting data. The shift to flex space is huge. Post-pandemic, the hybrid model is here to stay. Companies are realizing they don't need to lock in massive long-term leases. Smart move.
V
Vikram M
Good to see Chennai holding its own with healthy demand and new supply. Sometimes it gets overshadowed by Bangalore and Hyderabad, but it's a steady and reliable market for GCCs. More jobs for our youth!
K
Karthik V
While the numbers look impressive, I have a respectful criticism. This report seems very top-city focused. What about tier-2 cities? For balanced regional development, we need to see more policy push and incentives for companies to set up offices in places like Coimbatore, Indore, or Bhubaneswar.
N
Nikhil C
GCCs

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