Key lessons that the Indian real estate sector can learn from Dubai’s property boom By Mr. Anmoll D Shroff, Founder & CEO, Graanth Realty

Despite India’s real estate market demonstrating robust growth in 2024, driven primarily by the demand for premium and luxury homes, there are concerns about this growth curve flattening to an extent in 2025. On the other hand, Dubai—another key market for luxury properties—saw a 29.19 per cent increase year-on-year in the first quarter of 2025. This growth was attributed to multiple factors such as strong transaction value, increased transaction volumes, foreign investments and a strong rental market. There are several lessons that can be adopted from Dubai’s recent and sustained property boom, which will enable long-term growth, and facilitate smoother transactions and bolster certainty for both developers and buyers.

Streamlined for efficacy

Dubai’s structured approach to real estate development has been reassuring to buyers and developers. Regulatory bodies such as the Dubai Land Department and the Real Estate Regulatory Agency provide a strong governance framework. In addition, digital platforms like Dubai REST and eMart have revolutionised how real estate services and transactions are conducted bringing in much-needed transparency, speed, and efficiency. On the other hand, India’s real estate sector is still largely fragmented the implementation of government-driven initiatives to simplify transactions and ensure more transparency will be a major step towards boosting investor confidence and driving the sector’s growth. Dubai’s stable policies and are also complemented by investor-friendly initiatives such as long-term visa schemes for investors and tax-friendly regulations. India continues to face certain critical challenges with regards to regulatory compliance, property title and ownership disputes and complex tax laws, which can impair investor confidence.

Connected, compliant and comfortable

World-class infrastructure, which encompasses a robust transportation network, smart city initiatives and mega projects, have contributed to Dubai’s status as one of the most attractive destinations for real estate investments globally. India’s recent infrastructure investments have seen the emergence of key micro-markets, which offer more affordable and yet feasible alternatives to existing commercial and residential hubs. Similar to Dubai, India’s smart city initiatives that bring together sustainability measures and technologically-advanced infrastructure, are another growth opportunity for the real estate sector. What makes Dubai especially attractive as an investment destination is the ability of its real estate sector to withstand volatility and remain relatively stable through global economic upheavals. India too can develop this robustness by implementing sound policies, promoting responsible lending practices and diversifying property types to attract a broader spectrum of investors.

While India is heading the Dubai way, especially in terms of the growth of its luxury and ultra-luxury residential real estate segments, the integration of investor-focused policies as well as more transparent and better integrated processes will ensure that the Indian real estate market continues to maintain its growth momentum. Measures such as those highlighted in this article will help safeguard the sector against volatilities and enhance investor interest.