Once known primarily for its academic institutions and automotive base, Pune has steadily transformed into one of India’s most active and tightly held commercial real estate markets. This evolution has been shaped by the city’s expanding tech ecosystem, the rise of Global Capability Centres (GCCs), and growing interest from multinational occupiers across sectors like IT, BFSI, and consulting.
In terms of performance, Pune has consistently outpaced peer markets on office space absorption, rental stability, and institutional-grade development. And in 2025, with over 10 million sq. ft of new Grade-A supply in the pipeline, it is not just maintaining investor confidence, it is actively shaping the next phase of growth among India’s Tier 1 commercial corridors (Cushman Wakefield).
Where is this growth concentrated, and what are the key trends driving it? Here’s a closer look at Pune’s core investment zones and evolving market dynamics that provide the answers.
Commercial demand in Pune is concentrated across select micro-markets that offer the right combination of location advantage, infrastructure readiness, and premium-grade supply. These include both well-established and emerging micro-markets.
SBD East continues to dominate Pune’s commercial landscape, accounting for the highest net absorption in Q1 2025 at 1.12 million sq. ft. It also accounted for 45% of all leasing activity in Pune, supported by strong early bookings and large office deals from BFSI and flexible workspace companies. Despite robust new completions of around 1.65 million sq. ft, rentals held steady at an average of ₹98.84 per sq. ft/month, reflecting healthy demand. The area remains attractive due to its proximity to Pune Airport, established residential catchments, and connectivity to CBD zones. (Cushman Wakefield)
Where is this growth concentrated, and what are the key trends driving it? Here’s a closer look at Pune’s core investment zones and evolving market dynamics that provide the answers.
Commercial demand in Pune is concentrated across select micro-markets that offer the right combination of location advantage, infrastructure readiness, and premium-grade supply. These include both well-established and emerging micro-markets.
SBD East continues to dominate Pune’s commercial landscape, accounting for the highest net absorption in Q1 2025 at 1.12 million sq. ft. It also accounted for 45% of all leasing activity in Pune, supported by strong early bookings and large office deals from BFSI and flexible workspace companies. Despite robust new completions of around 1.65 million sq. ft, rentals held steady at an average of ₹98.84 per sq. ft/month, reflecting healthy demand. The area remains attractive due to its proximity to Pune Airport, established residential catchments, and connectivity to CBD zones. (Cushman Wakefield)
The Central Business District accounted for approximately 9% of Pune’s leasing activity in Q1 2025, with net absorption of around 0.23 million sq. ft. Although vacancy levels are higher here at 21.5%, the area remains relevant for corporates preferring centralised locations. The CBD continues to attract corporates and flexible workspaces looking for premium addresses. (Cushman Wakefield)
Home to Rajiv Gandhi Infotech Park and large Special Economic Zones (SEZs), PBD West remains Pune’s core tech employment belt. Known for scalability and affordability, it’s also a rising zone for coworking, GCCs, and high-spec business parks such as Blue Ridge SEZ.
Locations like Pimpri-Chinchwad, Hadapsar, Mundhwa, and Balewadi are gaining ground among startups and investors looking for smaller-format leased spaces. Developments like Kohinoor World Towers in Pimpri-Chinchwad, Amar Pristine 81 in Mundhwa, are attracting both occupiers and individual investors for their competitive pricing. These nodes combine modern infrastructure with competitive pricing and are increasingly being viewed as Pune’s next wave of commercial growth.
Together, Pune’s micro-markets offer a well-balanced ecosystem, ranging from high-yield institutional corridors in the east to tech-driven expansion zones in the west, and emerging nodes primed for future growth. This spatial differentiation is a key reason why Pune continues to outperform in both leasing velocity and absorption volumes. The strength of these zones is backed by data from 2024 and Q1 2025, Pune has recorded historic highs in new supply, absorption, and occupier activity across segments. These market metrics reinforce Pune’s stature as one of India’s most resilient and investment-worthy commercial hubs.
According to Knight Frank India, Pune witnessed a 19% growth in office leasing in 2024, with activity totalling 8 million sq. ft, reflecting broad-based tenant expansion across IT, BFSI, and coworking sectors (TOI). In Q1 2025, the momentum further accelerated. Pune added a record 3.2 million sq. ft of new Grade-A office supply, a 90% increase over the previous year. While this did push the vacancy rate to 11.23%, the city remains India’s second-tightest office market, behind Bengaluru (Cushman Wakefield). This strong absorption, diversified demand, and influx of global-grade assets paint a clear picture of where Pune is headed.
With 10 million sq. ft of new space expected in 2025 and 11 million in 2026, Pune is entering a growth phase led by institutional developers and occupier-led demand. Notably, Trump World Center, a 1.6 million sq. ft branded commercial project, is now under development, offering both strata and leased office space. This marks the entry of international branding into Pune’s commercial skyline and highlights growing investor sophistication (TOI).
What makes Pune stand out is its balance of fundamentals:
At SQUAREA, we help investors capitalise on Pune’s accelerating commercial real estate cycle. Whether you’re looking to acquire income-generating leased assets, explore premium office investments, or enter future-ready growth corridors like SBD East or PBD West, our team offers unmatched access and strategic insights. You can reach out to us at hello@squarea.io or call us on +91 90 9641 9641.
2024 delivered a record-breaking year in terms of absorption and sustainable supply. Leasing volumes hit historic highs, green-certified spaces gained overwhelming tenant preference, and development activity concentrated in markets with infrastructure depth and regulatory readiness. Additionally, it also laid down a blueprint for what investors must now focus on, in 2025. But to assess where commercial real estate is headed in 2025, it is essential to begin with the underlying patterns that defined the last calendar year.
India’s office market achieved its highest-ever gross absorption in 2024, recording 79 million sq. ft. of leasing activity, a 16% year-on-year increase (CBRE Q4 2024). This expansion was led by Global Capability Centres, BFSI institutions, and technology majors, each demonstrating a preference for Grade-A and future-ready commercial assets.
What set this leasing cycle apart was not just the volume, but the structure of the demand. Key trends included:
These shifts in leasing behaviour highlight more than market momentum, they indicate a set of qualitative filters now shaping both occupier and investor decisions. For 2025, recognising these benchmarks is essential to understanding where capital is consolidating and why certain assets are outperforming.
India’s commercial office sectors performance is being driven by a multitude of factors. As capital becomes more discerning, three critical filters have emerged at the centre of commercial real estate decision-making: sustainability, grade relevance, and micro-market precision.
In Q4 2024, over 50% of new office completions were green-certified, with 80–85% of future pipeline expected to follow this trend (CBRE Q4 2024, ET Realty). Furthermore, more than 70% of leasing activity took place in green-certified buildings, underscoring ESG compliance as a central occupier requirement.
This transition not only reflects a regulatory obligation, but also a core strategic priority for global tenants. Corporate sustainability goals and green-certified infrastructure is now non-negotiable. Developers are adjusting accordingly, embedding compliance, energy efficiency, and smart design from the outset.
India’s commercial leasing landscape in 2024 was dominated by the surge in demand for Grade-A office assets. Gross leasing activity across the top six cities reached 47 million sq. ft. by Q3, representing a 23% year-on-year increase, and by year-end, Grade-A absorption was projected to cross 60 million sq. ft., the highest in India’s history (Economic Times).
But even within the Grade-A category, a deeper shift is underway. The market is now favouring “relevant-grade” buildings, assets that go beyond minimum classification standards to deliver digital integration, ESG compliance, wellness infrastructure, and future-proof layouts.
Alongside sustainability and grade, micro-market selection is emerging as a third determinant of asset performance. Institutional capital is not spreading widely, it is going deep, favouring established corridors with infrastructure depth, high occupier density, and regulatory clarity.
This targeted deployment is most evident in Pune, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad. These cities accounted for 67% of India’s total new office completions in 2024, contributing to a cumulative 52.3 million sq. ft. of new supply (CBRE Q4 2024). Within these cities, select submarkets have consistently absorbed the bulk of institutional leasing activity due to their alignment with occupier priorities, operational resilience, and compliance infrastructure.
Among these, Pune, and more specifically, Kharadi NX, has evolved from a promising node to a strategic investment destination, setting a new institutional standard in micro-market performance.
With robust infrastructure, a strong tenant base, and high-grade development activity, Pune ranked among the top three cities for leasing and new completions in 2024. Within this landscape, Kharadi NX has also transitioned from a growth node to a fully institutionalised commercial corridor. It now offers the core fundamentals that investors seek: connectivity, tenant concentration, and scalable asset formats designed for long-hold performance.
Key drivers fuelling Kharadi NX’s ascent include:
One of the key developments include Omicron Business Landmarks, a project that exemplifies the market’s direction. It features high-efficiency office formats, integrated ESG infrastructure, and strategic connectivity, making it well-positioned to attract long-term, high-value tenants.
And we at SQUAREA, specialise in identifying such institutional-grade commercial assets across India’s most resilient and performance-led markets. Whether your objective is income yield or long-hold appreciation, our expert team will align your strategy with developments that meet international benchmarks and domestic regulatory confidence. Write to us at hello@squarea.io or call +91 90 9641 9641 to capitalise on this opportunity strategically!
In today’s commercial real estate environment, return on investment is defined by more than just rental yield. It reflects a deeper calculus, one that accounts for asset grade, lease structure, tenant quality, and long-term resilience. As institutional capital becomes more selective and compliance benchmarks tighten, high-end commercial spaces have emerged as the most credible vehicles for durable, risk-mitigated growth.
For investors seeking stable income, long-term value preservation, and institutional-grade performance, high-end commercial real estate has become a core component of performance-led portfolios. As the fundamentals of ROI become more layered, it is essential to break down the individual factors that shape returns in high-end commercial assets.
The ROI of a commercial property is a product of several interlinked variables. Some of the core indicators include:
According to Business Standard, commercial office assets in India offer yields of 5-7%, significantly outperforming residential properties, which hover around 3%. This spread forms the baseline of return, but in high-end office spaces, ROI is built on much more than yield. The next layer of ROI is influenced by the quality and grade of the asset, and this is where ‘relevant-grade’ commercial spaces emerge as clear outperformers.
Over the last few years, a new benchmark has come to define premium commercial assets, relevant-grade. These are not just modern offices, they are future-ready spaces that exceed standard Grade-A specifications on every front. According to JLL, as of H1 2024, India’s top seven cities had approximately 465 million sq. ft of relevant-grade stock, forming 56.3% of the total Grade-A inventory. These properties command a 19.8% premium, with average rents at ₹92.4 per sq. ft/month, a clear indicator that occupiers value quality and are willing to pay for it.
Along with asset grades, the structure of tenancy and income continuity are equally decisive in realising long-term ROI.
Premium commercial spaces are defined not only by where they are or how they look, but who occupies them and under what terms. In high-grade assets, tenants are typically from IT, BFSI, global consulting, or GCC sectors. These organisations:
For investors, this translates into several advantages:
These factors also make relevant-grade leased assets REIT-compatible, offering greater liquidity and exit potential, an increasingly important consideration for private and institutional investors alike.
With the fundamentals of quality and tenancy firmly aligned, the final piece of the ROI equation is timing, and 2025 stands out as a defining entry point.
India’s commercial office sector is undergoing a structural shift. ESG benchmarks, design innovation, and tenant expectations are converging to define a new era of real estate development. And 2025 presents a timely opportunity to enter high-grade commercial markets.
Here’s why:
This shift is also reflected in the nature of upcoming inventory. Projects such as the upcoming Trump World Center in Pune, a 1.6 million sq. ft branded commercial development is offering both for-sale and leased formats (TOI). It reflects the growing alignment between global investment preferences and India’s evolving commercial inventory.
With future supply increasingly focused on relevant-grade, ESG-aligned assets, investors who enter the market at this stage are well-positioned to capitalise on a cycle defined by resilient income, sustained occupier demand, and long-term value creation.
At SQUAREA, we help you align your capital with future-ready commercial assets that are graded for performance. Whether your goal is to acquire leased institutional assets, invest in premium strata offices, or explore ESG-compliant office campuses, we provide tailored investment access backed by in-depth research, location strategy, and asset due diligence.
Connect with us at hello@squarea.io or call us at +91 90 9641 9641 to unlock the ROI of high-end commercial real estate - strategically, securely, and successfully.
Across India’s top real estate markets, a new type of buyer is emerging. One who sees ultra-luxury real estate not just as a prized possession, but as a planned component of long-term wealth preservation. What was once viewed as a reward for success is now being evaluated through the lens of return potential, capital security, and generational transfer. These aren’t just homes anymore, they’re carefully selected, performance-backed assets in a well-diversified financial portfolio.
This transformation is backed by strong market data. In 2025, 55% of HNIs and UHNIs cited capital appreciation as their primary reason for investing in luxury real estate, up from 44% in 2024 (Business Standard). In other words, India’s wealthy are not just buying homes, they’re buying into long-term value.
With the appetite for capital appreciation growing stronger among HNIs and UHNIs, the shift is clear: luxury is being repurposed as strategy.
To understand why ultra-luxury homes are being repositioned as wealth preservation tools, we must start with the shift in investor intent. Gone are the days when high-end homes were acquired primarily for their aesthetic or lifestyle pull. Today’s luxury buyers, especially HNIs and UHNIs, are entering the market with sharper intent:
This mindset shift, from lifestyle acquisition to long-term asset selection, has also redefined how HNIs are leveraging their luxury homes. It’s no longer just about owning prime real estate, but about optimising its financial potential.
From Homes to Yielding Assets: Luxury as Income-Generating Real Estate
The evolving treatment of luxury homes doesn’t stop at capital preservation. When optimised correctly, ultra-luxury homes are becoming performance assets, offering attractive yields alongside emotional and lifestyle value. Especially in high-demand locations or branded developments, they’re generating sizeable returns.
This yield-driven approach is strengthening real estate’s position within diversified portfolios. For many HNIs, these properties now sit alongside equities, bonds, and alternates, not just as lifestyle holdings, but as performance-driven capital plays.
For India’s HNIs and UHNIs, the portfolio mix is evolving. Equities and private investments still play a role, but real estate is being reintroduced as a core allocation. HNIs are now allocating a larger share of their portfolio to real estate, particularly in the premium and ultra-premium segments (Financial Express).
Here’s what’s driving this shift:
This strategic reallocation of wealth into real estate is part of a wider trend. As India's market matures and buyer sophistication deepens, the ultra-luxury segment is fast becoming a must-have in modern wealth management.
From Aspirational to Essential: Why the Luxury Market Will Hold
Looking ahead, the fundamentals supporting luxury real estate remain solid. The Indian real estate sector is projected to touch $1 trillion by 2030, with residential making up a significant portion of this growth (Financial Express).
And as investment continues to mature, so will the nature of luxury real estate:
What was once a niche asset class is now on its way to becoming one of the most reliable wealth preservation tools for India’s elite.
At SQUAREA, we guide investors in identifying ultra-luxury properties that offer more than a signature address. They deliver long-term capital preservation, yield opportunities, and legacy value. Whether you're reallocating capital, entering a new market, or acquiring a family asset with future-proof potential, our advisory-led approach connects you to India’s most credible ultra-luxury real estate opportunities.
To explore how the right property can preserve and grow your wealth, reach out to us at hello@squarea.io or call +91 90 9641 9641.