New Delhi

India's real estate sector has attracted nearly USD 80 billion in institutional investments over the past 15 years since 2010, highlighting the sector's evolution into a preferred asset class for both global and domestic investors, according to a joint report by Colliers-CREDAI.

Foreign capital continues to dominate, contributing 57 per cent of total inflows, during these years, the report said.

Interestingly, domestic capital has been emerging as a key driver post-pandemic, indicating a substantial shift in the investment landscape across asset classes.

The report notes that the institutional flow of funds comprises investments from family offices, foreign corporate groups, pension funds, private equity players, sovereign wealth funds, NBFCs, listed REITs, and real estate fund-cum-developers.

These capital infusions were supported by some of the recent progressive policy reforms, including the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act (RERA), Goods and Services Tax (GST), and the introduction of Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), all of which have enhanced transparency, efficiency, and institutional participation.

By the centennial year of Independence in 2047, India's real estate sector could scale up to a market size of USD 5-10 trillion, up from current levels of around USD 0.3 trillion, according to the Colliers-Credai report.

India's real estate sector has evolved significantly, from a largely fragmented and unorganised sector in the 1990s to a more transparent and accountable growth driver today. Over the years, its contribution to India's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has steadily increased from less than 5% before 2010 to around 6-8% in recent years. The sector contributed nearly USD 0.3 trillion in terms of value added to the Indian economy in 2025.

Another emerging trend in the Indian real estate sector is investments through REITs.

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Indian REITs deliver about 6-7 per cent yields, surpassing global benchmarks, according to a joint report. As per the definition, REITs, or real estate investment trusts, can be described as a company that owns and operates real estate to generate income.