Delhi-NCR retail leasing jumps 45% in Q1 as fashion and F&B fuel demand
Delhi-NCR leased 0.59 million sq ft of retail space in Q1 2026, up 45% year-on-year, according to Cushman & Wakefield. Malls captured 64% of leasing as fashion and food-and-beverage brands pursued organised space despite supply constraints.
What happened
Cushman & Wakefield · Delhi-NCR retail leasing rose 45% year-on-year in Q1 2026, led by fashion and F&B demand. Mall leasing dominated activity as domestic and
Key facts
- Delhi-NCR retail leasing rose 45% year-on-year to 0.59 million sq ft in Q1 2026, from 0.41 million sq ft
- Shopping malls accounted for 64% of Delhi-NCR leasing; high streets accounted for 36%
- Delhi-NCR represented 30% of retail leasing across India’s top eight cities
- Top-eight-city leasing fell 10% to 1.95 million sq ft from 2.17 million sq ft
- Calendar-year 2025 leasing across eight cities was 9.21 million sq ft
Why this matters
Fashion and F&B companies should prioritize mall-led expansion and potential landlord partnerships in Delhi-NCR, as organised retail space is tightening amid accelerating leasing demand.
What to watch
- Q2 and Q3 Delhi-NCR net absorption versus the Q1 0.59 million sq ft pace.
- Prime mall vacancy, rental growth and renewal spreads in Gurgaon, South Delhi and Noida.
- New organised retail supply completions and the proportion that is pre-leased.
- Fashion and F&B same-store sales, store-opening guidance and consumer discretionary-spending trends.
- High-street leasing and rental growth, which would indicate spillover from constrained malls.
- Fashion chains prioritize flagship and experience-led stores in dominant malls while rationalizing weaker locations.
- F&B operators compete for food-court, entertainment-zone and transit-adjacent space, raising tenant-improvement and fit-out spending.
- Mall owners reposition vacant or low-productivity units toward premium fashion, beauty, dining and entertainment categories.
- Developers advance mall extensions, mixed-use retail podiums and refurbishment plans to capture elevated tenant demand.
- Retailers face higher occupancy costs and may offset them through menu pricing, assortment upgrades and tighter store-level productivity targets.