CBRE Survey Indicates 77% of Corporate Occupiers Plan India Office Portfolio Expansion

India's commercial office market is projected to maintain its expansionary momentum over the next two years, according to the 2026 India Office Occupier Survey released by CBRE. The survey indicates that 77 per cent of corporate occupiers intend to grow their office portfolios during this period, reflecting steady market confidence.

The projected expansion is underpinned by sustained business growth, the expansion of Global Capability Centres (GCCs), and rising demand from technology, banking, financial services, and insurance (BFSI), as well as engineering and manufacturing companies. Data from the report shows that the share of corporate occupiers pursuing an aggressive expansion strategy has nearly doubled compared to the previous year. Specifically, 30 per cent of surveyed firms are targeting a significantly larger office footprint over the next two years.

Conducted between April and June 2026, the survey gathered responses from more than 200 CXOs. The findings highlight that artificial intelligence is becoming an increasingly important element in shaping real estate strategies. While 93 per cent of respondents noted they are at some stage of AI adoption, 57 per cent stated that AI has not yet had a measurable impact on their current leasing strategies. However, evolving AI automation dynamics were ranked as the top factor anticipated to influence leasing decisions over the next 12 to 24 months.

Flexible workspaces are also expected to see wider integration. The survey notes that 67 per cent of respondents plan to incorporate flex space into their portfolios within two years, an increase from the current 58 per cent. This points to an ongoing shift toward a "core + flex" model, enabling companies to balance long-term infrastructure needs with operational agility and cost control.

Location and connectivity remain critical priorities for corporate real estate planning. Established metro regions including Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, and Chennai continue to attract large-scale commitments. Meanwhile, 65 per cent of occupiers evaluating Tier-II and Tier-III cities cited access to emerging talent pools as a primary motivation.

Infrastructure factors heavily into site selection, with nearly half of respondents favoring established core micro-markets. Commute infrastructure was identified as a major decision driver by 70 per cent of occupiers, while 95 per cent pointed to traffic congestion and commute times as tangible threats to day-to-day operations and employee experience. Overall, the findings suggest that the Indian office market is transitioning toward an adaptive model shaped by flexibility, AI-enabled infrastructure, and accessibility.

"The findings from the CBRE survey highlight strong, sustained fundamentals in India's commercial real estate sector. The steady demand from GCCs and technology firms, alongside a clear shift toward 'core + flex' workspace models, demonstrates how businesses are strategically adapting to operational agility. For growing enterprises and startups, understanding these evolving infrastructure trends—such as the balance between core micro-markets and talent-rich Tier-II cities—is critical for long-term scalability and cost management." — Dr. Shishir Gupta, Founder & CEO, StartupLanes