Author: Make

India’s largest lender, State Bank of India (SBI), has entered into a strategic partnership with Japan’s MUFG Bank to collaborate on financing mergers and acquisitions (M&A), aviation, and real estate projects for Indian as well as global clients.

The two banks announced the agreement in a joint statement on Wednesday, highlighting their plan to work together in structuring and financing large-scale transactions while expanding cross-border financial cooperation between India and Japan.

India’s rapidly expanding digital economy is transforming the real estate landscape, with data centres emerging as one of the fastest-growing property asset classes. Across the country, investors and developers are increasingly focusing on digital infrastructure, and the Delhi-NCR region—including Delhi and Gurugram—is becoming a key hub for this growth.

Driven by the rise of artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and data localisation policies, demand for data centre infrastructure is creating new opportunities for the real estate sector.

Dubai’s property market continues to attract strong global attention, and Indian investors have emerged as the largest group of foreign buyers in the emirate’s booming real estate sector. Over the past year, investment flows from India have accelerated significantly, reflecting both the global appeal of Dubai’s property market and changing investment preferences among Indian buyers.

Industry estimates suggest that Indian nationals invested nearly ₹85,000–₹95,000 crore in Dubai real estate in 2025, making them the top overseas investor group in the market. () The strong inflow highlights Dubai’s growing role as a global hub for property investment and wealth diversification.

Plotted developments are becoming one of the most closely tracked segments of India’s real estate market. Traditionally viewed as a long-term investment option, these projects are now attracting both end-users and investors looking for flexible ownership, relatively lower entry costs, and clearer land titles.

Unlike conventional apartment projects, plotted developments allow buyers to purchase a piece of land within a planned layout and construct their homes according to personal design preferences. However, as supply increases across emerging corridors in major cities, investors in 2026 need to adopt a more disciplined and research-driven approach before committing to such investments.

The government of Uttar Pradesh has unveiled a new affordable housing policy aimed at expanding access to housing for low- and middle-income families. Under the initiative, eligible beneficiaries will receive financial assistance of up to ₹2.5 lakh to support home construction or purchase, marking a significant step toward addressing housing shortages across the state.

The policy is designed to accelerate residential development, promote private sector participation, and improve housing availability in both urban and semi-urban areas.

Chinese smartphone giant Oppo has leased over 4.3 lakh square feet of space in Greater Noida’s Ecotech industrial area to electronics manufacturer Bhagwati Products Ltd, in a move that reflects the continued expansion of smartphone manufacturing in India.

According to property registration documents accessed by Propstack, the lease covers 4,30,400 square feet and comes with a starting monthly rent of ₹1.04 crore. The agreement will run for 58 months starting January 1, 2026, with a 5 percent rental escalation after 24 months.

India’s hospitality industry is raising urgent concerns after a sharp disruption in the supply of commercial liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), leaving many restaurants and hotels with barely a few days of fuel reserves. Industry bodies have warned that continued shortages could force widespread operational disruptions or temporary shutdowns across the sector.

The supply concerns emerged after escalating tensions involving the U.S.–Israel conflict with Iran disrupted shipping routes in the Gulf region, particularly around the critical Strait of Hormuz. The situation has pushed up global energy prices and affected the flow of fuel exports from key producers such as Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

The property market in Greater Noida is witnessing steady momentum, particularly in its eastern sectors where prices in several prime residential pockets have crossed ₹10,500 per square foot. The surge reflects growing demand from both investors and end-users looking for well-planned urban neighbourhoods in the National Capital Region (NCR).

As nearby areas such as Greater Noida West continue to experience rapid construction and rising density, many homebuyers are increasingly shifting their focus toward the more spacious and better-planned sectors of East Greater Noida.

Mumbai’s expanding metro network is set to take another step forward with the extension of Metro Line 4A, which will connect Kasarvadavali to Gaimukh through a 2.88-kilometre elevated corridor. The extension forms part of the larger Green Line Metro project, a major transit initiative aimed at strengthening connectivity between Mumbai and the neighbouring city of Thane.

The project is being implemented by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) and includes Metro Lines 4, 4A, 10, and 11, which together will reshape commuting patterns across key urban centres in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.

London-based fintech startup Payr has raised $2.1 million in seed funding to modernize the way rent payments are made across the United Kingdom’s vast rental market, estimated at $165 billion annually. The company aims to enable tenants to pay rent using credit cards, while landlords continue receiving payments through traditional bank transfers, eliminating the need for any changes to existing landlord processes.

Rent remains one of the largest monthly expenses for households, yet it is still largely paid through conventional bank transfers. While consumers today routinely use cards for everyday purchases such as groceries, travel, and utilities, rent payments have remained tied to traditional banking systems. Payr’s technology seeks to bridge this gap by introducing a card-based rent payment infrastructure designed specifically for the rental sector.