Real Estate
‘FDI in Real Estate in India’ by Mr Parth Mehta, Managing Director, Paradigm Realty.
Finance. An Alumnus of SPJAIN Centre of Management, Mr Mehta has diverse experience
starting from being an analyst at Citibank post his graduation in BMS from NM college to
acting as Business Development Manager at Wadhwa Group of companies, a reckoned name
in Mumbai Real Estate fraternity followed by being entrusted as CEO & Director of Parinee
Realty another Mumbai based Real Estate Developer.
As the CEO at Parinee Realty, his core responsibility was to undertake STRATEGIC TIE-
UPS and ACQUISITIONS. Mr.Mehta was overseeing the holistic growth of the company and
was an incharge of divisions including Finance, HR, Business-Development, Sales
&Marketing, Approvals & Liasoning.
Mr Mehta, is a seasoned real-estate entrepreneur with SRA as his forte since he has acquired,
articulated & implemented SRA Projects to the tune of 3 million sq.ft for Parinee Realty. He
believes in par excellence which is his driving force and success of projects is by-product of
diligence & embedded company’s ethos.
Currently as a stakeholder at Parinee Realty, he is overseeing couple of large sized SRA
projects located at prime locations like Worli, Borivali, Kandivali. Inherent passion &
acumen of a deal-maker induced him to start a venture i.e. PARADIGM REALTY which
exudes commitment, integrity, par excellence & creativity.
Real estate sector is the second largest employment generator in India. The size of the real
estate industry in India is US$12 billion approximately. The growth rate of the industry is
30% and there is a colossal positivity in the Indian real estate sector.
Major contributors of the sector growth in chronology are 1) the residential and official
usage, 2) Infrastructure 3) shopping malls, 4) hotels ,education & hospitals etc. The real
estate sector is witnessing a new phase of growth: be it in the commercial or the residential
segments. The Government has taken many steps to create an environment of growth for the
sector.
Most significant economic policy decision taken by the Government of India: 100% FDI in
Townships, housing, built-up infrastructure and construction-development projects. Major
corporations are taking initiative and are wooing international players soliciting investments
for major projects.
CURRENT SCENARIO
The Indian real estate market is ready for take-off. The hibernation period is definitely over,
with FDI (Foreign Direct Investments) in real estate estimated to reach $16 billion by 2015
from $600 million in 2006.
The FDI scenario in India is currently witnessing a gradual shift with liberalized reforms over
the last few years and an attractive investment climate making a positive impact on the
inflow. With a steady increase in volume of FDI, India has attracted more than 90 countries
till 2010 leaving US behind in the list of top investment destinations in the world.
MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS
The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, has permitted FDI up to100% under
automatic route in townships, housing, built-up infrastructure and construction development
projects -housing, commercial premises, hotels, resorts, hospitals, educational institutions,
recreational facilities, city and regional level infrastructure facilities, such as roads and
bridges, transit systems etc.
The FDI policy seems to take a mid-path approach by doing away with some of the restrictive
conditions of the past even while imposing overarching conditions preventing speculative
trading. The project shall confirm to the norms and standards, including land use
requirements and provision of community amenities and common facilities as laid down in
the applicable building control regulations, by-laws, rules and other regulations of the State
Government / Municipal / Local Body concerned. The investor shall be responsible for
obtaining all necessary approvals, including those of the building /layout plans, developing
internal and peripheral areas and other infrastructure facilities, payment of development,
external development and other charges and complying with all other requirements, as
prescribed under applicable rules/bye-laws/regulations of the State Government / Municipal
Body / Local Body concerned.
IMPACT OF FDI IN REAL ESTATE
The FDI-funded Indian real estate will have the sufficiency of capital flow that will help
realty players complete projects on time and increase buyer’s sentiments across the
country.Indian realty sectors will be more organized and technically advanced to facilitate
construction business. FDI in Indian real estate shall make the industry compettive interms of
new mass layout launches as well as it shall increase the competition between foreign
investors scouting for sweet deals.
With real estate foreign investment in India, construction of FDI-funded housing projects will
surface. This is so, because investment flow from foreign investors will potentially solve fund
related issues that real estate faces and it will increase development of projects punctuated by
timely and quality deliverance.
To say the least, the move is considered excellent, as some projects like townships involve
time-taking development. With real estate foreign investment India in place, these projects
will not face funds related issues and therefore they will be completed on time to the joy of
buyers and builders both.
Besides, the relaxed norms will help government materialize development of its ambitious
100 Smart Cities and it will facilitate faster development of various realty projects across the
country. These projects will be able at affordable cost as a result. Apparently, the move will
encourage Indian realty to complete projects on time as adequate financial assistance from
cross-border investment will end funds crunch issues that hamper on-time completion of real
estate development and subsequent depletion in the buyer’s sentiments.
THE WAY FORWARD
The 10th plan estimated a shortage of 22.4 million housing units in 2007, with requirement of
housing touching 90million in another fifteen years. Sixty million square meters of office
space would be required in the next 5years due to the advancing sectors of services and
Information Technology.
India’s Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) policy has been gradually liberalised to make the
market more investor friendly. The results have been encouraging. These days, the country is
consistently ranked among the top three global investment destinations by all international
bodies, including the World Bank, according to a United Nations (UN) report. For Indian
economy which has tremendous potential, FDI has had a positive impact. FDI inflow
supplements domestic capital, as well as technology and skills of existing companies. It also
helps to establish new companies. All of these contribute to economic growth of the Indian
Economy.