India Anchors APAC Growth via AI Augmentation, Young Demographics, and Green Real Estate: Colliers
Bengaluru, May 26, 2026: India is leading the Asia Pacific (APAC) region in navigating long-term corporate real estate structural shifts, according to a report by Colliers titled “Building Resilience: 5 Megatrends Redefining Corporate Real Estate.” The study details how interconnected global megatrends—including AI-enabled workforces, seismic demographic shifts, energy security, climate risks, and a shifting global order—are heavily influencing corporate location, talent, and investment strategies. Driven by massive digitalization and a robust domestic tech ecosystem, India’s local AI market is projected to skyrocket from its current valuation of over USD 9 billion to more than USD 500 billion in the coming decades, Colliers said in a press release.
The country’s immense demographic advantage serves as a cornerstone for this technological expansion. Possessing a workforce with a median age of roughly 29 years, India comprises about 18% of the world’s population and supplies one-third of the global pool of skilled talent. Major urban centers such as Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Delhi NCR, Chennai, Mumbai, and Pune have subsequently secured spots among the top ten technology talent acquisition hubs across the APAC region.
This deep, young talent pool continues to heavily attract international firms seeking sustainable infrastructure-led opportunities. Highlighting this trend, Arpit Mehrotra, Managing Director, Office Services, India, Colliers said: “India adds 2-3 million STEM graduates annually, making up about one-third of the global skilled talent availability, simultaneously benefitting from a relatively young workforce. This demographic advantage will continue to support sustained expansion by both domestic & global companies, driving office space demand in the country. Additionally, strong economic growth prospects, rental arbitrage and continued adoption of distributed workplace strategies are likely to fuel long-term commercial real estate demand in India. More importantly, Global Capability Center (GCC) space uptake, which drives the majority of the office leasing, will continue to strengthen with the deepening of capabilities in R&D, engineering, AI, machine learning and cloud computing.”
Simultaneously, India has accelerated its environmental, social, and governance (ESG) integration to counter energy scarcity and climate risks like severe heatwaves and urban flooding. Green-certified buildings now constitute nearly two-thirds of India’s current Grade A office stock. Furthermore, the firm identifies a massive USD 5 billion investment opportunity in retrofitting over 420 million square feet of aging Grade A office spaces to enhance energy efficiency and long-term asset sustainability.
These shifting dynamics underscore a broader dispersion of industrial and technological influence away from historical Western centers toward emerging powerhouse markets in the East. Commenting on the shifting global order, Mike Davis, Managing Director, Asia Pacific, Occupier Services, Colliers stated: “Asia Pacific’s dynamism shows there’s no longer a global monopoly on innovation or competition. The region will become an increasingly important factor in location strategies globally, whether as a future growth center, vital supply chain link or source of skilled talent. Moreover, the prevailing dynamism will push organizations to act now to strengthen resilience and prepare for the future. Organizations and occupiers which adapt proactively will be best equipped to thrive.”
