US-based Hines to enter Indian residential market

The joint venture entity, with an initial capitalisation of $250 million (over Rs.1,500 crore), will invest in projects in Bangalore, Mumbai and NCR, Hines India Country Head and Senior Managing Director Yash Gupta said, declining to name the global fund as well as the stakes of the two partners.

“Our role will be of a value-add partner and we are in talks with many local developers. Our intent is not to be the developer but bring Hines’ global know how and market research here,” he added.

The entity would deploy the initial funding across 3-5 projects in the next two-three years and it would prefer to start a project in NCR by the first quarter of 2015.

Gupta said, “We are open to fund both new and mid-way projects and would like to target the mid-market segment as it has the highest demand. An individual project could see an investment of around $50-70 million (Rs.300-500 crore).”

Hines, which entered the Indian real estate market in 2006, has completed construction of three commercial buildings, with 1.5 million sq ft of area, in Gurgaon. Business Line