Pune: Land Buying in India moderated during the first nine months of 2026, with developers becoming increasingly selective about acquisitions amid rising land costs and concerns over project viability.
According to the latest data from Anarock Research & Advisory, the country recorded 76 land deals covering approximately 1,445 acres in 9M 2026, compared with 99 deals spanning nearly 3,292 acres during the corresponding period last year.
The slowdown in Land Buying activity comes after three years of strong growth, with developers increasingly prioritising parcel size, location and project feasibility.
At the same time, joint development arrangements (JDAs) are gaining popularity as developers look to access land through partnerships rather than outright purchases.
One of the significant trends in India’s land acquisition market is the increasing share of JDA transactions.
In the first nine months of 2026, one in every four land deals was structured as a JDA. Of the 76 total land deals recorded during the period, at least 19 involved joint development arrangements.
According to Anarock Research & Advisory, the number of JDA transactions increased from 10 in 2022 to 30 in 2025.
Their share of total land deals also increased from approximately 12% in 2022 to nearly 24% in 2025, further rising to 25% in 9M 2026.
“The first nine months of 2026 saw 76 land deals for around 1,445 acres, signalling a more cautious and selective acquisition strategy,” says Mayank Saksena – MD & CEO – Land Services, Anarock Group.
“With project economics becoming more important, developers are increasingly turning to JDAs with existing landowners. These are distinct from joint ventures or JVs, where developers partner with other developers who have constrained ability to complete projects.
Under a JDA arrangement, a developers can access land and build projects via a partnership rather via an outright purchase. Transactions partners now have their hands full with crafting such partnerships.”
JDA transactions account for 25% of land deals in 9M 2026
The increasing adoption of JDAs reflects a shift in how developers are approaching Land Buying and project expansion.
Rather than committing substantial capital towards outright land purchases, developers are increasingly exploring partnership-led arrangements with existing landowners.
The data shows that JDA transactions have steadily increased over the past few years, both in absolute numbers and as a share of total land deals.Year Total deals JDA deals JDA share 2022 83 10 12% 2023 98 11 11% 2024 133 23 17% 2025 126 30 24% 9M 2026 76 19 25%
Source: Anarock Research & Advisory
In 9M 2026, the market recorded 76 transactions covering approximately 1,445 acres, significantly lower than the 99 transactions covering nearly 3,292 acres in the same period of 2025.
The growing preference for JDAs indicates that developers are increasingly focusing on accessing land and undertaking projects through partnerships, while managing the financial commitments associated with outright acquisitions.
Land Buying undergoes recalibration after three years of expansion
Between 2022 and 9M 2026, a total of 516 land deals covering 12,958 acres were completed across India.
While 2024 recorded the highest number of transactions, with 133 land deals spanning more than 2,515 acres, 2025 emerged as the strongest year in terms of total acreage acquired.
During 2025, developers completed 126 transactions covering approximately 3,772 acres.
In comparison, Land Buying activity in the first nine months of 2026 stood at 76 deals covering around 1,445 acres, indicating a moderation in acquisition activity.Year Total No. of Land Deals Total acreage 2022 83 2,509 2023 98 2,717 2024 133 2,515 2025 126 3,772 2026** 76 1,445 Total 516 12,958
Source: Anarock Research & Advisory
The moderation is particularly visible in large land transactions. Deals involving 50 acres or more declined from 12 in 9M 2025 to just five in 9M 2026.
The combined acreage covered by these large transactions also dropped substantially, from approximately 2,398 acres in 9M 2025 to 588 acres during the first nine months of 2026.
This indicates a shift in Land Buying patterns, with developers becoming more selective about large-scale acquisitions and focusing on the feasibility of individual projects.
MMR and NCR lead land acquisition as Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities gain ground
Between 2022 and 9M 2026, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) emerged as the leading market for land acquisition, with approximately 2,798 acres recorded. It was followed by the National Capital Region (NCR), with 2,012 acres, and Bengaluru, with 1,679 acres.
Ahmedabad also emerged as a significant market, with five transactions involving 50 acres or more accounting for nearly 93% of the city’s total tracked acreage.
This highlights the impact that a handful of large transactions can have on the overall land acquisition figures of a market.
The broader Land Buying trend indicates that developers continue to acquire land in established metropolitan markets. However, some of the largest land parcels are increasingly being acquired in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities.
Between 2022 and 9M 2026, MMR recorded approximately 1,965 acres, followed by NCR with around 1,570 acres and Bengaluru with nearly 1,540 acres in the comparative cumulative acreage figures reported by Anarock.
Ahmedabad followed with approximately 1,460 acres across just 14 deals, while Hyderabad recorded around 995 acres.
The seven established metropolitan markets – MMR, NCR, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, Chennai and Kolkata – accounted for approximately 86% of the 516 recorded land deals. However, these markets represented only around 57% of the nearly 12,960 acres acquired during the period.
This suggests that smaller and mid-sized transactions remain concentrated in established markets, while larger land acquisitions are increasingly taking place in smaller towns and cities.
Large land deals increasingly concentrated outside established metros
Commenting on the changing geographical distribution of large land transactions, Mayank Saksena of Anarock Group said that the trend was particularly evident in big-ticket deals.
“That pattern is clearest in big-ticket deals,” says Mayank Saksena. “The 61 transactions of 50 acres or more accounted for about 63% of all acreage, and nearly half of them (29) were outside the seven established metros.
Gujarat was the strongest market for such deals, with Ahmedabad, Surat and Vadodara together accounting for about 2,020 acres, or roughly 16% of the total. Coimbatore with about 770 acres, and Amritsar, Nagpur, Panipat and Ludhiana also featured in the top 12 on cumulative acreage, despite very few deals.”
Gujarat emerged as the strongest market for large land transactions, with Ahmedabad, Surat and Vadodara collectively accounting for approximately 2,020 acres, equivalent to nearly 16% of the total acreage.
Coimbatore also featured prominently, with approximately 770 acres.
Amritsar, Nagpur, Panipat and Ludhiana were among the other cities that featured in the top 12 markets based on cumulative acreage, despite recording relatively few transactions.
The largest individual transactions recorded during the period included a 714-acre deal in Coimbatore, a 600-acre transaction in Hyderabad and two large Ahmedabad deals covering 500 acres and 440 acres, respectively.
The concentration of acreage in a limited number of transactions means that even a single large deal can significantly influence the rankings of these markets.
