Nearly 8 in 10 occupiers in India expect office portfolios to expand

This expansion is expected over the next two years.

Indian office occupiers remain confident about business growth and the role of the physical workplace, with 77 per cent expecting their office portfolios to expand over the next two years, according to CBRE's eighth India Office Occupier Survey.

Conducted between April and June 2026, the survey gathered the views of more than 200 chief executives and senior executives overseeing office portfolios across India's leading markets.

CBRE said the findings point to continued demand for high-quality office space alongside growing adoption of flexible workspace strategies as companies adapt to changing workforce requirements and the rise of artificial intelligence.

AI adoption is already widespread, with 93 per cent of respondents reporting that their organisations are at some stage of adoption. However, 57 per cent do not expect AI to have a measurable impact on their leasing decisions in the near term, suggesting that office requirements remain broadly resilient.

Flexible workspace is also becoming a more established component of corporate portfolios. Some 67 per cent of occupiers expect flexible workspaces to form part of their portfolios within the next two years, supporting a core-plus-flex approach to office strategy.

Location decisions are increasingly being shaped by accessibility and employee considerations. CBRE found that 70 per cent of occupiers prioritise commute infrastructure when selecting office locations, highlighting the importance of connectivity in leasing decisions.

Sustainability is also becoming more embedded in real estate strategies, with 52 per cent of respondents saying they have already defined environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals for their portfolios.

CBRE said talent accessibility, commute infrastructure, workplace experience and sustainability are increasingly influencing where occupiers locate, how they expand and how they structure their office portfolios as workplace requirements evolve.