India Climbs to 26th Place in Global Real Estate Transparency Index

New Delhi, September 18 (Daily Kiran) : India has made impressive progress in the Global Real Estate Transparency Index, jumping five places to secure the 26th position. According to a recent report, the country is now among the top five most improved markets globally and has emerged as the leading reformer in the Asia-Pacific region. The JLL Global Real Estate Transparency Index (GRETI) indicates that India has reached a mid-tier level in the "Transparent" category.This advancement is attributed to ongoing improvements in regulatory frameworks, transaction processes, and sustainability standards. Radha Dhir, CEO of JLL India, noted that over the past decade, India has recorded the fourth-largest improvement globally and the third-largest in the last 20 years. She emphasized that the nation is on track to match the world's most transparent markets and aims to enter the "Highly Transparent" category. The report highlights that along with improved transparency, India has witnessed a record surge in investment activities.In 2025, private equity investments surged to $10.5 billion, marking a 17% increase year-on-year. In the first half of 2026, these investments reached $4.3 billion, a 25% rise compared to the previous year. India's office REIT market has also experienced rapid growth. The market size, which was 104 million square feet in 2024, has expanded to 164 million square feet by 2026. The report states that nearly half of the Grade-A office stock in the country is now considered suitable for REITs.The most significant improvements have been seen in regulatory and legal standards, with India's ranking in this category rising from 37th to 19th. Key factors contributing to this progress include the maturation of the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA), the liberalization of foreign direct investment (FDI) regulations, and the digitization of land records. The report further projects that India's data center capacity is expected to grow from 1.6 gigawatts in 2029 to 6 gigawatts, requiring an estimated investment of $110 billion.Global hyperscale companies have already committed over $50 billion for AI-ready data center facilities. Additionally, the BSE Realty Index and the India REIT Index have become crucial benchmarks for investors. Enhanced quarterly financial reporting and annual disclosure standards for REITs and listed flexible space operators have significantly increased transparency across the sector. India has maintained a strong position in transaction processes, ranking 10th globally and 3rd in the Asia-Pacific region.The report also notes improvements in the availability and reliability of data related to commercial real estate financing. The increase in institutional investment, the expansion of the REIT market, and a stringent regulatory framework have played vital roles in this progress.