India's Rise Fuels Asia Pacific as the Leading Global Office Market
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
New Delhi, March 18 (NationPress) The Asia Pacific region has emerged as the most vibrant office market globally, with India spearheading this growth. The region's expansion is fueled by younger, ESG-aligned assets and a demand that surpasses that of the US and Europe, according to a report released on Wednesday.
The analysis from Cushman & Wakefield highlights India's crucial role in the APAC landscape, contributing to 34% of the region's office demand, which equates to 64.2 million square feet.
“The ascent of Asia Pacific as the global hub for office demand is fundamentally linked to markets such as India, where the combination of modern stock, a rich talent pool, and robust innovation capabilities are converging,” stated Arpita Srivastava, Managing Director of Global Capability Centre (GCC) Advisory and APAC Tenant Representation at Cushman & Wakefield.
India holds 39% of the overall office stock in APAC, totaling 809.5 million square feet, and contributes to 51% of the new supply, amounting to 37.4 million square feet.
These figures underscore India's pivotal influence within the broader talent-driven growth of APAC.
The region's momentum is also supported by an unmatched reservoir of STEM talent, which constitutes one of the largest groups of engineering, digital, and technology professionals worldwide.
This deep well of talent acts as a significant factor in corporate real estate decisions, enticing multinational companies that are in search of both operational efficiency and innovation-led growth, as noted in the report.
Between 2020 and 2025, APAC absorbed nearly 334 million square feet of office space, significantly outpacing Western markets where absorption has either been negative or sluggish. Additionally, Grade A office stock across 40 cities in APAC is projected to almost double to 2.43 billion square feet by 2025.
While Western markets focus on retrofitting and selective recovery, APAC's growth trajectory is accelerating, indicating a structural shift in how global corporations strategize their real estate portfolios, Arpita remarked.
A significant portion of APAC's prime office space was constructed within the last 10 to 15 years, featuring hybrid-ready, sustainable, and technology-enhanced workplaces that meet the evolving expectations of tenants.