Can Indian real estate market face a crisis like China’s Evergrande?

India’s real estate market shows resilience against a crisis like China’s Evergrande due to stronger regulations and sustained demand. Experts highlight key differences in scale, governance, and economic impact.​

Evergrande Crisis Overview

China’s Evergrande defaulted in 2021 with over $300 billion in debt after overbuilding and pre-selling unfinished flats, eroding buyer confidence. A Hong Kong court ordered its liquidation on January 29, 2024, amid broader sector woes where real estate contributes 30% to GDP.​

India’s Past Challenges

India faced its own scare with the 2018 IL&FS collapse, triggering an NBFC liquidity crunch that stalled projects. Unlike Evergrande’s global exposure, IL&FS issues stayed domestic, allowing recovery through government interventions.​

Key Differences

India’s sector, at 7% of GDP, benefits from RERA since 2016, mandating escrow for buyer funds and transparency to prevent fund diversion. Chinese developers defaulted on $114.6 billion of dollar bonds by 2024 due to strict “three red lines” policies, while India’s debt-to-equity ratios for listed firms stay below 1x.​

AspectChina (Evergrande)India
Debt Scale$300B+, global bonds ​Lower, domestic focus ​
GDP Contribution~30% ​~7% ​
RegulationsLax pre-sales, recent curbs ​RERA escrow, buyer protection ​
Demand ResilienceWeakened by delays ​Steady, even in downturns ​

Positive Outlook for India

Housing sales in top seven cities rose 26% YoY to 2.71 lakh units in 2023, with tech hubs like Bengaluru leading. Average flat sizes grew 11%, signaling demand for larger homes amid urbanization.​