Regional Insights

Mumbai and Pune dominated the warehousing and logistics sector in H1 2024, collectively accounting for 63% of the total absorption. Mumbai’s share surged from 25% in H1 2023 to 41% in H1 2024, driven by heightened demand for grade-A warehouses in areas such as Bhiwandi, Panvel, Uran, Taloja, and Ambernath. In contrast, NCR’s share plummeted from 31% to just 6%, reflecting a significant drop in activity. Chennai, however, experienced a remarkable 191% increase in absorption, reaching 1.5 million square feet due to the low base effect from the previous year.

City-Wise Absorption Data

Sector-wise Absorption Trends

Third-party logistics (3PL) companies led the absorption with a 39% share in H1 2024, up from 26% in the previous year. The engineering & manufacturing sector also saw its share increase to 22% from 16%, while the automobile and auto components sector grew to 9% from 4%.

Investment Highlights

The warehousing and logistics sector attracted USD 1.6 billion in investments during H1 2024, representing 42% of the total institutional investments in real estate. This investment amount equals one-third of the total institutional investment received over the past four years and marks a 4.5-fold increase compared to H1 2023.

Key deals included:

• USD 1.5 billion investment by KKR and Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) in Reliance Retail Ventures’ warehousing assets, accounting for 96% of the sector’s total investment.
• CapitaLand India Trust (CLINT) signed a forward purchase agreement with Casa Grande Group for three industrial facilities at OneHub Chennai, valued at approximately USD 32.3 million.
• Goa Investment Promotion and Facilitation Board (Goa-IPB) signed a MoU with TVS Industrial and Logistical Parks (TVS ILP) for developing a grade-A warehousing and logistics park in Verna Industrial Estate with an investment of USD 15.6 million.

Rental Trends

Weighted average rentals slightly declined by 3% to INR 21.6 per square foot per month in H1 2024. Bengaluru saw the highest rental decline of 8%, while Hyderabad experienced a 7% decrease. Conversely, Pune’s rentals surged by 30% to INR 27.1 per square foot per month, and Chennai saw a 22% increase.

Conclusion

The warehousing and logistics sector continues to show strong growth, with significant investments and notable shifts in regional and sectoral absorptions. Despite a decrease in overall absorption compared to the previous half-year, the sector remains dynamic with increased investment and evolving rental trends.

Also Read: Industrial & warehousing demand remains healthy with about 13 mn sq ft of leasing in H1 2024

The post Warehousing & Logistics Absorption Increased by 8% Annually in H1 2024, with Mumbai and Pune Leading appeared first on Square Feat India.