- Prolonged Middle East war to test housing delivery timelines in 2026 amid disrupted supply chains & rising cost pressures
- In pandemic-hit year of 2020, ~2.14 lakh homes (46% share) delivered against a scheduled pipeline of 4.66 lakh units, highlighting impact of major disruptions
- Mumbai, Pune & Bengaluru account for 70% of homes due for completion in 2026; may face biggest execution challenges
- Realty major NCR has just 39,000 housing units scheduled for completion this year
- Back in 2025, approx. 5.19 lakh units were delivered across the top 7 cities
Mumbai, 11 June 2026: With no end to the Middle East war in sight, developers face a challenging execution phase amid growing uncertainty. End-user-driven housing demand remains resilient, and project financing is also better than in previous cycles. However, extended disruptions to global trade routes, commodity markets, and supply chains put developers’ ability to deliver projects on schedule to the hardest test in decades.
Dr. Prashant Thakur, Executive Director & Head – Research & Advisory, ANAROCK Group, says, “Latest ANAROCK Research data reveals that a record 5,40,400 housing units are scheduled for completion across the top 7 cities in 2026 – the highest in the last decade. Of the total scheduled deliveries, the western markets of MMR and Pune collectively account for 57% of homes due for completion this year.”
- In MMR, approx. 2,07,300 units are scheduled for delivery over the year, while Pune expects 1,00,300 units to be delivered in 2026.
- In the South, Bengaluru (69,000), Hyderabad (63,700) and Chennai (35,600) collectively have 1,68,300 units lined up for delivery this year.
- North India’s realty powerhouse NCR has just 39,000 units scheduled for completion.
- In the East, Kolkata has just 22,500 units scheduled for completion in 2026.
“Historically, ambitious housing supply pipelines have often been vulnerable to external shocks like these,” says Dr. Thakur. “For instance, during the pandemic year of 2020, ANAROCK Research shows that approx. 4.66 lakh homes were scheduled for completion across the top 7 cities. However, only about 2.14 lakh units, or 46% of the planned pipeline, were ultimately delivered as construction came to a halt due to lockdowns, labour migration, and supply-chain disruptions.”
The gap between scheduled and actual completions shows that even projects in advanced stages of construction can face delays when confronted with large-scale disruptions. The current situation is fundamentally different from the pandemic, as construction activity continues uninterrupted and labour availability remains stable.
However, a prolonged geopolitical conflict will inevitably impact project economics through higher energy prices, increased logistics costs, and inflation in key construction materials such as steel, aluminium, copper, electrical equipment, and building systems.
| Year | Approx. No. of Units Completed/ to be Completed |
| 2017 | 2,04,200 |
| 2018 | 2,46,140 |
| 2019 | 2,98,450 |
| 2020 | 2,14,370 |
| 2021 | 2,78,650 |
| 2022 | 4,02,000 |
| 2023 | 4,35,000 |
| 2024 | 4,52,000 |
| 2025 | 5,18,900 |
| 2026 (Expected completions) | 5,40,400 |
Source: ANAROCK Research & Advisory
“Cities with the largest completion pipelines – specifically MMR, Pune and Bengaluru – are particularly sensitive to sustained input costs inflation, as developers must maintain delivery schedules and simultaneously manage margin pressures,” adds Dr. Thakur. “The challenges are only partially mitigated by stronger balance sheets and tech-improved project monitoring. Tighter regulatory oversight under RERA demands time-bound delivery. Also, six years ago, it all hinged on a vaccine whose deployment was more predictable than the current situation.”
A Decadal Shift from Sales to Delivery
ANAROCK Research indicates that between 2017 and 2025, nearly 30.5 lakh housing units have been delivered across India’s top 7 cities. The approx. 5,40,400 units scheduled to be delivered this year make 2026 the highest delivery year in the past decade – provided that all deliveries happen on schedule.
The sheer scale of homes slated for delivery this year reflects the strong launch and sales momentum witnessed after the pandemic. Residential projects launched between 2021 and 2023 are now entering their final stages of construction, creating an unprecedented completion pipeline across the country’s leading housing markets. This pipeline is now under real threat of derailment, thanks to the ongoing West Asia war.
“While the industry in the last few years celebrated robust sales, rising prices, and rebooted buyer confidence, the spotlight now is shifting from sales to execution. 2026’s significance therefore extends beyond the sheer number of homes scheduled to be delivered. We are looking at a forced new evolutionary stage of India’s residential real estate market which will stretch Indian developers’ capabilities to an unprecedented extent,” says Dr. Thakur.
With efficient execution, 2026 could well become a landmark year for housing completions – and further strengthen homebuyer confidence. While 2027 will be remembered for a lot more than just sales and launch numbers, 2026 becomes the referendum year for our residential real estate sector’s maturity.
