In a recent conversation, Maneesh Jain, Chief Investment Officer at Pragati Warehousing, shared insights into the company’s investment philosophy, expansion strategies, and vision for the future of industrial and logistics real estate in India. From identifying high-potential locations to building future-ready infrastructure, Pragati’s approach reflects a deep commitment to enabling India’s next phase of industrial growth.

Ques: What key factors influence Pragati’s investment decisions in industrial and logistics real estate, and how do you assess and prioritize new locations for expansion?

Maneesh: At Pragati Warehousing, our investment decisions are guided by three core factors: market demand, ecosystem strength, and future growth potential.

Market Demand: We evaluate leasing potential across key sectors such as e-commerce, FMCG, automotive, electronics and other allied industries. Locations with strong and sustained interest from these industries are prioritized.

Ecosystem: Proximity to transport hubs and industrial clusters is a critical consideration. For instance, our under development park in Sriperumbudur, Chennai, was strategically chosen for its access to the Chennai Peripheral Road, existing Chennai Bangalore Highway and its thriving base of OEMs for automobile and electronics manufactures.

Future Growth Potential: We assess policy support, infrastructure development, and regional economic momentum to ensure long-term value creation.

Additionally, we factor in land availability, ease of doing business, and alignment with tenant needs — ensuring our investments support both near-term growth and long-term scalability.

Ques:  With India’s logistics and manufacturing sectors evolving due to policies like PLI and the growth of multimodal infrastructure, how is Pragati positioning itself to capitalize on these shifts?

Maneesh: India’s logistics and manufacturing landscape is undergoing a fundamental transformation, driven by government policies and the push for self-reliant production. We view these shifts not merely as industry tailwinds, but as strategic opportunities to expand and strengthen our footprint in industrial and logistics real estate.

The PLI scheme is accelerating growth across sectors like electronics, pharmaceuticals, auto components, and more. Pragati is addressing this demand by developing high-specification assets that adhere to local regulations while meeting the stringent requirements of global and domestic manufacturers.

Our developments are future-ready — designed to accommodate automation, meet ESG benchmarks, and adapt to emerging technologies.

India’s logistics sector is increasingly becoming multimodal, with substantial investments in dedicated freight corridors, expressways, ports, and rail-based cargo terminals. This evolution is reshaping supply chain dynamics, and Pragati is actively aligning its portfolio to leverage these emerging logistics networks.

As India’s supply chain ecosystem grows more sophisticated, speed, flexibility, and connectivity will define success in logistics real estate. Our focus remains on enabling businesses to optimize their supply chains, reduce transit times, and scale efficiently.

Ques:  Looking ahead, what are Pragati’s top investment priorities, and how do you foresee the industrial and logistics real estate sector evolving in the next five years?

Maneesh: India’s manufacturing sector is projected to reach $1 trillion by 2030, driving strong demand for modern, efficient industrial infrastructure. In response, Pragati plans to develop a portfolio of 25–30 million sq. ft. across both mature and emerging markets.

As occupiers increasingly prefer Grade-A developers for compliant and scalable spaces, we remain committed to building future-ready infrastructure tailored to evolving industry needs.

We are deepening our presence in established hubs such as Chennai, Bengaluru, Pune, Mumbai and NCR — markets that offer strong ecosystems, skilled talent pools, and robust connectivity. These cities remain central to our growth strategy.

At the same time, ongoing infrastructure and corridor development are unlocking significant opportunities in select Tier-2 micro-markets. These regions offer manufacturers cost advantages and proximity to key consumption hubs. We are actively exploring these emerging locations with the aim of creating integrated ecosystems that support sustained industrial growth and balanced regional development.