News: India Warehousing Stock Tops 610 Million Sq Ft: JLL-05-02-2026
India had more than 610 million sq ft of warehousing stock as of 2025, JLL said in a report released on February 5 at LogiMAT India 2026 in Mumbai.
The eight Tier I markets of Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Kolkata held 498 million sq ft, or 82% of the total. Fourteen emerging Tier II cities, among them Lucknow, Chandigarh-Rajpura, Kochi and Nagpur, accounted for 112 million sq ft. Net absorption in 2025 was 55 million sq ft in Tier I cities and 12 million sq ft in Tier II.
JLL projects 28% growth over five years, with stock rising by 240 million sq ft to 850 million sq ft by 2030.
Grade A facilities now make up 53% of total stock, and institutionally backed Grade A assets account for 38% of quality stock, bringing standardised development and better specifications that attract global occupiers. Third-party logistics and e-commerce lead demand, while light manufacturing from the auto, engineering and electronics sectors is growing, signalling a change in the occupier mix.
Tier II markets are gathering pace on the back of rising consumption, improving infrastructure and lower costs. Lucknow and Kochi have each crossed one million sq ft of annual absorption as occupiers build distributed, resilient supply chains.
The report said warehouses are turning into automation-led fulfilment hubs. Industry estimates suggest automation adoption could climb from about 10% in 2025 to nearly 76% by 2030, pushed by SKU complexity, faster delivery expectations, labour constraints and the need to optimise space. Such investments are increasingly seen as strategic, with payback in two to three years.
Yogesh Shevade, Head, Logistics and Industrial, India, JLL, said that by the time stock reaches 850 million sq ft these buildings will be part of a smart logistics system combining technology, location and capital. The report expects geographic diversification, institutional investment and automation to converge, making efficiency, sustainability and advanced automation the pillars of India’s emergence as a global logistics power.
