Kolkata remains Eastern India’s industrial and logistics market hub with 24 mn sq. ft. stock

New Delhi, Aug 10 (IANS) Kolkata remained Eastern India’s largest industrial and logistics market, with warehousing stock surpassing 24 million sq. ft. during January–June (H1) 2026, a report said on Monday.

The report from commercial real estate services firm CBRE South Asia said the milestone underscores the city’s role as a manufacturing, warehousing and distribution hub supported by infrastructure investments, multimodal connectivity and growing occupier demand.

The leasing reached approximately 1.8 million sq. ft. in January–June 2026, marking a 69 per cent increase over the previous six‑month period.

“Eastern India is emerging as a key growth engine in India’s industrial and logistics landscape, driven by infrastructure investments, supportive policy frameworks, and expanding manufacturing activity,” said Anshuman Magazine, Chairman & CEO – India, South-East Asia, Middle East & Africa, CBRE.

“As occupiers increasingly focus on supply chain resilience and operational efficiency, the region offers a compelling value proposition through its strategic location, improving connectivity and an evolving logistics ecosystem. These factors are expected to strengthen its appeal to both occupiers and investors in the years ahead,” he added.

Kolkata’s I&L absorption recorded a CAGR of 25 per cent between 2020 and 2025, with over 80 per cent of total leasing during this period occurring between 2022 and 2025. This momentum was supported by major supply additions in 2022 and 2024, which together accounted for nearly 70 per cent of post-2020 completions.

This momentum has also been backed by an estimated $170 million in I&L investment into the city between 2020 and H1 2026.

Third-party logistics (3PL) companies have led leasing activity since 2020, accounting for 35 per cent of cumulative space take-up through H1 2026, followed by e-commerce (15 per cent), retail (12 per cent), engineering and manufacturing (11 per cent) and FMCG (11 per cent).

FMCG space take-up rose 4-fold YoY, driven primarily by major F&B players, which accounted for over 70 per cent of the segment’s total leasing activity.

—IANS

aar/pk