Hyderabad: Despite global uncertainty sparked by recent US tariffs, India’s commercial real estate sector—particularly in Hyderabad—remains strong and largely unaffected in the near term. This was the key takeaway from a high-level panel discussion at IKON 2025, a flagship industry event hosted by iKeva, a Hyderabad-based leading provider of flexible workspaces.
Inaugurating the event, Ms. Archana Naidu, Board Member and Head of Business at iKeva, said IKON 2025 was designed to bring together thought leaders in commercial real estate to spark meaningful dialogue around emerging trends, opportunities, and challenges, with insights to be shared with government and industry stakeholders.
The distinguished panel included Mr. Sridhar Gadhi, Founder & Executive Chairman of Quantela Inc and Board Member, iKeva; Mr. Sandeep Saraf, Senior Director & Head – Markets, JLL India; Mr. Sreekanth Reddy, Head – Leasing (South India), Raheja Corp; Mr. Yousuf Ali, Director – Commercial Leasing & Advisory, ANAROCK; Ms. Samriddhi Singh, Associate Director, Cushman & Wakefield; and Ms. Vibhuti Jain, Director, PrimeDesk India.
Panelists highlighted that Hyderabad is rapidly emerging as a preferred destination for Global Capability Centers (GCCs) due to its skilled talent pool, modern infrastructure, and business-friendly government policies. Even with rising commercial real estate prices, the city offers better value than other metros, making it attractive for both expansion and consolidation. The pharmaceutical and defence sectors were identified as key drivers of future office space demand. Experts also noted that bundled, value-added services in managed office spaces will play a defining role in driving differentiation and investor confidence in India’s flexible workspace market.
The discussion also pointed to an imminent wave of consolidation through mergers and acquisitions over the next three to five years, signaling a maturing and more competitive sector. With 356 GCCs—18 percent of India’s total—Hyderabad is steadily cementing its place as the next major GCC hub in Asia. IKON 2025 closed on an optimistic note, reaffirming the city’s position as a resilient, innovation-driven, and investment-friendly destination for the future of commercial real estate.
