Developers explore debt-equity funding

Singapore funds, over 2 years, comprise 41% share of total Private Equity (PE) inflows into Indian real estate at US$3.5 billion against US$1.15 billion in 2015 and 2016 combined.

US and Canada-based PE investors come next with collective contribution of US$3.8 billion PE funds in last 2 years.

Singapore’s GIC, Ascendas and Xander top PE investors, largely with an eye southern cities of Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Chennai.

“Singapore investors are betting big on Indian commercial real estate and other new sunshine sectors, including logistics and warehousing,” writes Shobhit Agarwal, MD & CEO – ANAROCK Capital.

Major Singapore-based private equity firms are funnelling billions of dollars into the country’s real estate sector, particularly in South Indian cities.

As per ANAROCK’s recent report “Private Equity in Indian Real Estate”, of the total US$14.01 billion PE funds into Indian realty between 2015 to 2018, approx. 1/3rd were pumped in by Singapore-based firms alone during the period – the highest among both domestic and foreign investors.

However, of the total PE inflow of US$1.1 billion in Q1 2019, there were no investments from any of the Singapore-based PE investors such as GIC, Ascendas and Xander.

With funding from banks and NBFCs drying up over the last few years, Indian developers were being forced to explore debt and equity funding from various private equity players. Singapore investors were on top of the list, followed by PE players from US and Canada. After establishing a strong base in China, India was their logical next destination of preference.

In fact, with their more patient and long-term outlook, Singapore-based investors and developers have gained a substantial foothold in India’s property market over the last four years.

In in 2015 and 2016, Singapore-based PE players pumped US$1.15 billion into Indian real estate. This saw a three-fold jump in 2017 and 2018 – to nearly US$3.5 billion.

Major players including GIC, Ascendas-Singbridge and Xander have been making steady investments into India. However, in recent years they have scaled up their investments and developments across segments.

Besides commercial spaces including office and retail, players like Ascendas are also diversifying their portfolios and eyeing sunshine sectors like logistics and warehousing.

Singapore-based Top PE Investors 

Approx. PE Funds in India (2015-2018)

GIC US$2.5 billion

Ascendas US$830 million

Xander US$910 million

Source: ANAROCK Research

Over the past four years, GIC has invested close to US$2.5 billion in Indian real estate, mainly in cities like Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and NCR. For Ascendas, the preferred cities have largely been Hyderabad, followed by Chennai and MMR.

Meanwhile, US-based investors pumped in nearly US$4 billion in the same period (2015 to 2018) and more than US$700 million in the first three months of 2019.

From the leading US-based private equity players including Blackstone, Goldman Sachs, Hines, Warburg Pincus and Proprium Capital, Blackstone alone infused nearly USD 2.9 bn across Indian cities over the last four years.

A further deep-dive reveals that US-based investors, led by Blackstone, have largely invested in West Indian markets, including Mumbai and Pune. On the other hand, Singapore-based investors have focused on strengthening their foothold in the South Indian markets of Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Chennai.

PE players from Canada, led by Brookefield, were the third-largest investors into Indian real estate over the last four years, with PE infusions close to US$2.3 billion. The other major PE player active in India is Canada-based pension fund CPPIB. fiinews.com