REITs or Real Estate Investment Trusts, launched in India in April 2019, have paved the way for retail investors to invest in commercial real estate without the hassles that come with investing in physical property. Registering a 6.85 % YoY growth in the total leasable area of listable REITs, this asset class presents a massive opportunity for small and medium retail investors. However, being a relatively new investment vehicle, very few investors are aware of the merits of REITs and others are unclear on how to invest in this asset class.
The Indian REITs Association (‘IRA’), is a non-profit trade organisation formed under the guidance of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and Ministry of Finance, committed to advancing the growth and development of the Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) sector in India.
Brookfield India Real Estate Trust is India's first institutionally managed REIT, comprising seven large integrated office parks located in key gateway markets of India – Mumbai, Gurugram, Noida, and Kolkata. The Brookfield India REIT portfolio consists of 25.4M sf of total leasable area, comprising 20.7M sf of operating area, 0.7M sf of under construction area and 3.9M sf of future development potential. Brookfield India REIT has a right of first offer on an additional 4.0M sf, currently owned by members of the Brookfield Group.
Embassy REIT is India’s first publicly listed Real Estate Investment Trust. Embassy REIT owns and operates a 45.4 million square feet (“msf”) portfolio of nine infrastructure-like office parks and four city‑centre office buildings in India’s best-performing office markets of Bengaluru, Mumbai, Pune, and the National Capital Region (“NCR”). Embassy REIT’s portfolio comprises 35.8 msf completed operating area and is home to 244 of the world’s leading companies.
Mindspace Business Parks REIT, sponsored by K Raheja Corp group, listed on the Indian bourses in August 2020. The REIT owns quality office portfolios located in four key office markets of India, namely Mumbai Region, Pune, Hyderabad, and Chennai, and is one of the largest Grade-A office portfolios in India. The portfolio has a total leasable area of 33.1 msf comprising of 26.2 msf of completed area, 4.4 msf of area under construction and 2.5 msf of future development. The portfolio consists of 5 integrated business parks and 5 quality independent office assets with superior infrastructure and amenities.
Nexus Select Trust (NXST) is India’s first publicly listed Retail Mall Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT). NXST has a portfolio of 17 best-in-class Grade A urban consumption centres with a Gross Leasable Area of ~9.9 million square feet spread across 14 cities in India, two complementary hotel assets (354 keys) and three office assets with a Gross Leasable Area of ~1.3 million square feet.