India's Office Market Shines Amid Asia-Pacific Slowdown: Record Growth Revealed

India's office market is having a record-breaking year while the rest of Asia-Pacific struggles with slowdowns. The country transacted 8.8 million square feet in just the third quarter of 2025, with major cities projected to reach 50 million square feet by year-end. Remarkably, office rents in India's top markets rose 4.3% despite nearly nine million square feet of new supply. This contrasts sharply with the broader Asia-Pacific region, where prime office rents actually declined by 1.4% during the same period.

Key Points: India Office Market Defies Asia-Pacific Slowdown with Record Leasing

  • India transacted 8.8 million square feet of office space in Q3 2025 alone
  • Bengaluru, Delhi-NCR and Mumbai expected to hit 50 million sq ft by year-end
  • Office rents in top three markets rose 4.3% despite new supply additions
  • Asia-Pacific prime office rents fell 1.4% year-on-year in contrast to India's growth
  • Bengaluru remained most dynamic market with 8.8% annual rent increase
  • GCC demand and IT sector revival driving India's office market resilience
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India's office market continues to outshine the Asia-Pacific region: Report

India's office market sees record 8.8 million sq ft leased in Q3 2025, with rents rising 4.3% despite Asia-Pacific declines. Bengaluru leads growth.

"India's office market continues to stand out as a beacon of stability and long-term potential amid regional uncertainty. - Shishir Baijal, Knight Frank India"

New Delhi, October 24

India's office market is set for a record-breaking year, standing firm against a broader slowdown across the Asia-Pacific region, according to Knight Frank's Asia-Pacific Office Highlights Q3 2025 report. Despite economic headwinds, leasing activity in India's major cities continues to surge, powered by strong demand from Global Capability Centres (GCCs) and the revival of third-party IT services.

Citing the report, a Knight Frank press release states that India transacted 8.8 million square feet of office space in the third quarter of 2025 alone. Bengaluru, Delhi-NCR, and Mumbai together are expected to touch a combined leasing volume of 50 million square feet by year-end, surpassing the previous record of 41 million square feet set in 2024.

Despite the addition of nearly nine million square feet of new supply, office rents in India's top three markets, Bengaluru, NCR, and Mumbai, rose an average of 4.3 per cent year-on-year. The release attributes this resilience to India's diversified tenant base and stable economic outlook. In contrast, many Asia-Pacific landlords focused on occupancy rather than rent growth due to higher vacancies.

Bengaluru remained the country's most dynamic market, with rents rising two per cent quarter-on-quarter and 8.8 per cent year-on-year. Delhi-NCR and Mumbai followed with modest yet steady increases. Vacancy rates in the three cities stood at 11.5 per cent, 12.5 per cent, and 17.3 per cent respectively.

Shishir Baijal, Chairman and Managing Director, Knight Frank India, said, "India's office market continues to stand out as a beacon of stability and long-term potential amid regional uncertainty. The strong leasing activity highlights its growing importance in global business strategies. Continued interest from GCCs and renewed activity in the IT sector point to India's deep talent pool, improving infrastructure, and investor trust."

Across the wider Asia-Pacific region, prime office rents fell by 1.4 per cent year-on-year, with rental growth stagnating at 0.0 per cent compared to the previous quarter. Chinese mainland cities saw the steepest declines, while markets such as Australia managed to maintain steady momentum. Knight Frank noted that this divergence underscores India's distinct resilience and continued attractiveness to global occupiers.

Tim Armstrong, Global Head of Occupier Strategy and Solutions at Knight Frank, said, "Occupier priorities have continued to evolve amid ongoing geopolitical and technological shifts. In this environment, flexibility and resilience have become non-negotiable. Corporates are committing to new spaces, but with a clear emphasis on agility."

"Rental growth in the region will likely remain subdued amid strong construction deliveries over the past two years and the backfill space created. However, the flight to quality will continue to support demand for premium office space across key Asia-Pacific markets heading into 2026," the release noted.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Great to see India outperforming the entire Asia-Pacific region! But I hope this growth translates to better infrastructure in these cities. The traffic situation in Bengaluru and Mumbai is already terrible with current office spaces.
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Arjun K
The 50 million sq ft projection is mind-blowing! This shows global companies are betting big on India's talent pool. The GCC trend is particularly interesting - more MNCs setting up their global capability centers here.
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Sarah B
Impressive numbers, but I'm curious about the quality of these office spaces. Are we building sustainable, green buildings? Hope the focus isn't just on quantity but also on creating healthy work environments.
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Vikram M
Rents increasing despite new supply shows strong underlying demand. This is good for real estate investors but worrying for small businesses trying to set up offices. Hope tier-2 cities also get some of this action to balance development.
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Michael C
The contrast with China's declining office market is striking. India's diversified tenant base and stable economic policies are clearly paying off. This bodes well for job creation and economic growth in the coming years.

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