Types of global REITs & What India Can Expect Next

Exploring Global REIT Categories That Could Shape India’s Real Estate Future

REITs (Real Estate Investment Trusts) have emerged as a powerful asset class in India over the last 3–4 years, opening new avenues for both institutional and retail investors.

At their core, REITs are companies that own and operate income-generating real estate. While office spaces and retail malls dominate the current Indian REIT market, global models reveal a far broader potential.

Current REIT Types in India

• Office REITs: Embassy REIT, Mindspace Business Parks, and Brookfield India Real Estate Trust manage and lease commercial office spaces.

• Retail REITs: Nexus Select Trust is India’s only listed retail-focused REIT so far.

Global REIT Categories That Could Enter India

Here’s a look at international REIT types that could redefine the Indian market:

1. Industrial REITs

These REITs invest in logistics hubs, warehouses, and manufacturing plants. Prologis, valued at $100 billion, is the world’s largest industrial REIT.

2. Data Centre REITs

Equinix, worth $73 billion, leads this segment globally. With India’s data center capacity rising from 350 MW in 2019 to 1700 MW in 2024, this space is set for significant growth.

3. Healthcare REITs

Focused on hospitals, senior living, and research facilities. Welltower Inc., valued at $60 billion, dominates this space. India recently saw a fractional investment offer in a hospital via Strata.

4. Hospitality REITs

Includes hotels and resorts. Host Hotels & Resorts is the global leader in this segment with a market cap of $12 billion.

5. Storage REITs

These REITs provide rental storage facilities for homes and businesses. Public Storage, with a $49 billion valuation, is the largest globally.

6. Communications REITs

These cover telecom infrastructure—cell towers, data centers, fiber-optics. American Tower Corp leads globally with a value of $88 billion.

7. Specialty REIT – Prison REIT

CoreCivic in the U.S. once operated prisons under the REIT model. However, due to regulatory changes under the Biden administration, it reverted to a private company.

Future of REITs in India

As India’s REIT ecosystem evolves, we may soon see a diversified portfolio of REITs covering everything from industrial to healthcare and data centers. Given the surge in demand for alternative real estate formats, India is poised to adopt many of these global REIT models.

Which REIT categories do you think will thrive in India next? Drop your thoughts in the comments.