Developers Turn Selective on Land Acquisitions as JDAs Gain Share in 9M 2026.

Rising land costs drive cautious buying, while joint development agreements account for 25% of transactions.
  Indian real estate developers recorded 76 land transactions covering approximately 1,445 acres during the first nine months of 2026, down from 99 deals spanning 3,292 acres in the same period last year, according to Anarock Research & Advisory. Rising land costs and project feasibility concerns have encouraged developers to adopt a more selective acquisition strategy. Joint Development Agreements (JDAs) gained momentum, accounting for 19 of the 76 transactions, or 25% of total deals. Large land acquisitions also declined, with transactions involving parcels of 50 acres or more falling to five from 12 a year earlier. Between 2022 and September 2026, India recorded 516 land deals covering nearly 12,958 acres. Established metropolitan markets accounted for 86% of transactions but only 57% of total acreage. Meanwhile, cities such as Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara and Coimbatore attracted significant large-scale land investments, highlighting growing interest in emerging markets.