Delhi-NCR's premium residential market demonstrated robust growth in the first quarter of 2026, with housing sales rising 30% year-on-year, according to a report by Equirus Securities. The strong performance was driven by rising incomes, infrastructure development, and sustained demand from affluent homebuyers. New residential launches increased 64% year-on-year, indicating developers remain confident of demand despite signs of moderation in the broader housing market.
The premiumisation trend has become increasingly evident, with homes priced above ₹1 crore accounting for nearly 71% of all residential transactions in the region during the January-March quarter, as reported by Equirus Securities. This shift reflects buyer demand increasingly moving towards quality-led developments, with purchasers prioritising established brands, timely execution, financial strength, governance standards and differentiated products over speculative gains. The report attributes the strong momentum to robust employment growth, rising household incomes and major infrastructure projects including the Dwarka Expressway and the Noida International Airport.
While Equirus expects the overall residential market to transition into a more moderate phase due to macroeconomic uncertainties and softer white-collar hiring, it believes the premium housing segment is likely to remain resilient. The brokerage noted that NRI and high-net-worth individual participation has emerged as a key demand driver for premium housing, with expectations that NRI participation will continue growing over the long term, aided by rupee depreciation and stronger confidence in regulated projects. Developers with strong brands, consistent execution, healthy launch pipelines and recurring rental income are expected to be the biggest beneficiaries.
The optimism around premium housing comes amid a strong investment cycle in Indian real estate. According to Equirus's June 2026 sector report, institutional real estate investments in India rose 37% year-on-year to $1.7 billion in the first quarter of 2026, while premium housing demand continued to support earnings at listed developers such as Godrej Properties and Sobha. The convergence of infrastructure-led growth, rising incomes, evolving buyer preferences and sustained NRI participation is likely to support the next phase of Delhi-NCR's residential market, with organised developers focused on execution and premium offerings expected to outperform.
