Key Takeaways
- • India climbed five positions to 26th globally in JLL's Global Real Estate Transparency Index (GRETI) 2026, moving from 31st and entering the 'Transparent' tier.
- • India recorded the largest improvement of any Asia-Pacific market and ranked among the top five most-improved markets worldwide, according to JLL.
- • Private equity real estate investment reached $10.5 billion in 2025, up 17% year-on-year, while direct investments hit a 20-year high of $8.1 billion over the last 12 months.
- • Operational office REIT stock rose 58% to 164 million square feet in 2026 from 104 million square feet in 2024, with nearly half of Grade A office space now classified as REIT-worthy.
- • JLL projects India's data centre capacity will quadruple from 1.6GW to 6GW by 2029, requiring $110 billion in capital.
Summary
India's commercial real estate market has entered the top 30 most transparent property markets globally, according to the JLL Global Real Estate Transparency Index (GRETI) 2026, as reported by The Week. The country rose five places to 26th worldwide and secured a place in the 'Transparent' tier. It was also the most-improved market in the Asia-Pacific region and ranked among the top five most-improved markets globally.
According to the report, the main drivers were sweeping regulatory and legal reforms, the maturing Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) framework, liberalisation of foreign direct investment, and digital land registries such as the National Urban Digital Mission. JLL India CEO Radha Dhir said India "set the pace for Asia Pacific" and that the gains reflect a market "compounding gains, not chasing a single good year."
The improved clarity has coincided with strong capital inflows. Private equity real estate investment reached $10.5 billion in 2025, and direct investments hit a 20-year high of $8.1 billion over the last 12 months. Lata Pillai, Senior Managing Director & Head of Capital Markets, India, at JLL, said private equity flows were up 17% year-on-year and described the direct investment figure as "the foundation we are building on."
Investor confidence in listed vehicles has also grown. The operational office REIT stock rose 58% to 164 million square feet in 2026 from 104 million square feet in 2024, and nearly half of all Grade A office spaces were classified as REIT-worthy this year.
Digital infrastructure is another growth area. The JLL report projects India's data centre capacity will quadruple from 1.6GW to 6GW by 2029, a build-out that would require $110 billion in capital. JLL concluded that India is firmly on its way to 'Highly Transparent' status as technology adoption accelerates.
According to the report, the main drivers were sweeping regulatory and legal reforms, the maturing Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) framework, liberalisation of foreign direct investment, and digital land registries such as the National Urban Digital Mission. JLL India CEO Radha Dhir said India "set the pace for Asia Pacific" and that the gains reflect a market "compounding gains, not chasing a single good year."
The improved clarity has coincided with strong capital inflows. Private equity real estate investment reached $10.5 billion in 2025, and direct investments hit a 20-year high of $8.1 billion over the last 12 months. Lata Pillai, Senior Managing Director & Head of Capital Markets, India, at JLL, said private equity flows were up 17% year-on-year and described the direct investment figure as "the foundation we are building on."
Investor confidence in listed vehicles has also grown. The operational office REIT stock rose 58% to 164 million square feet in 2026 from 104 million square feet in 2024, and nearly half of all Grade A office spaces were classified as REIT-worthy this year.
Digital infrastructure is another growth area. The JLL report projects India's data centre capacity will quadruple from 1.6GW to 6GW by 2029, a build-out that would require $110 billion in capital. JLL concluded that India is firmly on its way to 'Highly Transparent' status as technology adoption accelerates.
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