Dr Adv Harshul Savla

India's First Ph.D. Thesis on REITs Dr Adv Harshul Savla

This book covers India's first Ph. D. thesis on REITs. It studies the role of REITs in real estate development and its implications on consumer purchase behaviour in India. REIT or Real Estate Investment Trusts was first introduced in the USA in early 1960. An estimated 87 million Americans own REITs through their retirement savings and other investment funds. REITs in the USA have a market cap of more than 1 trillion USD. Today, more than 37 countries have REITs, including all G7 countries. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, too, have REITs. India's first REIT, Embassy Office Parks listed on 1st April 2019, was Asia's largest REIT by square footage (33 million sq.ft. total portfolio area). Embassy Office Parks REIT, a joint venture between Bangalore-based property developer, Embassy Group and private equity firm Blackstone successfully raised INR 4,750 crore from the primary market and is today (January 30th 2020) trading at almost 40% premium against a backdrop of global economic volatility and low economic sentiment in India. Realty Developer K Raheja and US private equity firm Blackstone Group will be offering through an IPO, INR 3,000 crore Mindspace Business Parks REIT in 2020. REITs can be hailed as the silver lining in an otherwise gloomy prospects of the real estate sector in India.