For generations, land has been India’s most enduring and sentimental investment, symbolising stability, legacy, and wealth creation. Yet, for many buyers, the path to that promise has been uneven, be it due to unclear titles, scattered records, opaque processes or inflated valuations and unreliable intermediaries that have kept confidence low. But what’s changing today is how it’s being perceived. Land is increasingly being viewed as a serious investment asset driven by better technology, greater transparency, and enhanced convenience and security for buyers.
Recent market readings echo this shift in trend: Colliers India (Q3 2025) reports $1.3 billion in institutional flows, up 11% year-on-year, with domestic investors forming about 60% of the total. Industry projections also suggest real estate could account for 14%–20% of India’s GDP by 2047, a potential $10 trillion growth lever.
As digital processes simplify discovery, verification, and ownership, investors are looking beyond vertical development to the clarity and control that land offers. Once seen primarily as an emotional pursuit, land is now emerging as a structured, technology-enabled asset class that promises both trust and long-term value.
Shift in ground
India has been quietly building the skeleton for a more trustworthy land market, making records searchable, registration predictable, and boundaries visible. These reforms allow buyers to see the past of a land parcel, track the present of a transaction, and trust the future of a neighbourhood.
At the core lies the Digital India Land Records Modernisation Programme (DILRMP). As of December 2023, over 95% of India’s more than six lakh villages had computerised records, and two-thirds of the cadastral maps were digitised. Each parcel has been now assigned a 14-digit Land Parcel Identification Number (Bhu-Aadhaar) linking it to geo-coordinates and serving as a permanent “licence plate”.
Oversight improved with the launch of MIS 4.0 in October 2024, which offers real-time tracking of digitisation progress.
The National Generic Document Registration System (NGDRS) enables buyers to complete e-KYC, calculate stamp duty, book slots, and receive certified deeds online, while automating updates to records instantly. Developers now issue time-stamped digital disclosure packs and use escrow-linked digital payments that release funds only after verification.
Technology is also revolutionising due diligence. Platforms like ISRO’s Bhuvan NextGen overlay cadastral maps with flood or corridor data. PropTech startups integrate this with legal and encroachment data, giving banks and buyers real-time risk scores. AI-driven pricing engines benchmark comparable sales across micro-markets, improving valuation accuracy.
As per the Liases Foras Ayodhya Report 2025, land prices within four km of the Ram Mandir have risen by about 400% since 2020, reaching ₹12,600-₹15,500 per sq. ft., while circle rates rose 200% in key zones. Similar developments are occurring in Shirdi and Ujjain as a result of digitalised government records and connectivity. Transparent digital planning and equitable acquisition are creating new growth corridors in Maharashtra, as demonstrated by the proposed Nagpur-Goa Shaktipeeth Expressway (₹80,000 crore total, ₹20,000 crore for land).
The next frontier
As India’s land ecosystem becomes digitally traceable, the next frontier lies in tokenisation — the conversion of physical land ownership into secure, fractional digital tokens. Tokenisation, which is based on Web 3.0 and blockchain technology, combines the liquidity of financial markets with the potential for real estate appreciation to allow for greater retail participation in an asset class that was previously restricted. Tokenisation can transform land from a static, illiquid holding into a democratised and trusted digital asset, marking the logical next step in India’s land-tech evolution.
The convergence of policy digitisation, PropTech innovation, and institutional capital is transforming land from an emotional aspiration into an efficient, secure asset. India’s land market is evolving from legacy-led to technology-led, from fragmented to formalised. As the ecosystem matures, the winners will be those who see land not merely as an asset, but as an opportunity to build transparency, governance, and digital empowerment into the nation’s growth story. The map is finally replacing the maze, and with it comes the promise of a more inclusive, efficient, and future-ready India.
The writer is CEO, The House of Abhinandan Lodha.
Published – November 21, 2025 04:43 pm IST
