India’s rapidly expanding quick commerce sector is expected to require nearly 75 million square feet of urban logistics space by 2030, driven by the growing network of dark stores and supporting warehousing infrastructure, according to a report by CBRE South Asia.
The report estimates that the sector will need approximately 42 million square feet of in-city dark-store space and another 33 million square feet for mother hubs by the end of the decade. Mother hubs are large warehouses, typically located on city outskirts, that replenish multiple dark stores through a hub-and-spoke distribution network.
India’s quick commerce ecosystem has expanded to around 7,800 dark stores in 2026, occupying nearly 27 million square feet of logistics space across more than 100 cities. The number of dark stores is projected to exceed 12,000 by 2030.
Although 65–70 per cent of the existing dark-store network is concentrated in the country’s top eight metropolitan markets, operators are increasingly expanding into tier-II and tier-III cities, creating new demand for strategically located urban logistics facilities.
Quick commerce-related warehousing demand recorded a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 81 per cent between 2021 and 2025, accounting for around 4–5 per cent of India’s total logistics leasing activity during the period, the report said.
Annual space absorption by the sector increased from 3.1 million square feet in 2024 to 4.3 million square feet in 2025, highlighting the pace of expansion in fulfilment infrastructure.
Delhi-NCR Leads Warehousing Demand
Delhi-NCR emerged as the largest market for quick commerce warehousing, accounting for 21 per cent of total demand between 2021 and the first half of 2026. Mumbai followed with a 20 per cent share, while Bengaluru accounted for 17 per cent. Hyderabad contributed 16 per cent and Chennai 11 per cent.
“Quick commerce is reshaping how consumption and urban logistics intersect in India, and real estate sits at the heart of this shift,” said Anshuman Magazine, Chairman and CEO, India, South-East Asia, Middle East and Africa, CBRE.
As quick commerce platforms transition from capital-intensive expansion towards more disciplined growth, the focus is shifting from simply adding stores to developing dense, efficient and well-located fulfilment networks, he said. This shift is expected to create significant real estate opportunities in both urban centres and their peripheral areas.
Focus on Efficient Fulfilment Infrastructure
Looking ahead, CBRE said the sector’s continued growth will depend on the availability of compliant, strategically located and future-ready fulfilment facilities that can accommodate changing operational requirements.
The expansion of quick commerce into emerging urban markets is also expected to increase demand for smaller in-city distribution facilities and larger peripheral warehouses, reinforcing the role of urban logistics infrastructure in supporting India’s evolving consumption and delivery networks.