Assetz® News - India 'safe from instability' for investors

India 'safe from instability' for investors

9th January 2008 |

Those looking for an exciting opportunity to invest in property overseas may look at many possibilities, with the more adventurous wondering what new, exciting markets might be out there.

Naturally enough, anyone investigating such possibilities and going about it in a sensible fashion will investigate the legal, financial, transport and commercial issues involved in such a venture.

In addition to this, many overseas investors will look at wider issues, such as stability. This can include economic stability, of course, the sort of thing which may make some regard Cyprus as a better prospect now it is in the eurozone. But there may also be the issue of social and political instability.

For those investing in European markets such as France, Germany, Portugal or Spain, such matters are seldom of much concern. Those looking at Cape Verde may note that it has a peaceful, stable, two-party democracy. But other countries are not so lucky.

Hetal Shah, a director of overseas property firm Investors Provident, said those looking at countries where there is instability should "wait and watch" before parting with their money, noting that there is a potential for bargains to be snapped up when instability or unrest created problems, if there is a reasonable expectation that things would soon return to normal.

For many investors, of course, that may sound like too much of a risk. Mr Shah noted that issues of instability could also apply to countries whose contiguous neighbours were having problems.

Luckily, Mr Shah stated, this did not apply to India, one of the new markets which has attracted the most recent investment as its economy grows rapidly, despite the present turbulent events in neighbouring Pakistan.

He stated: "India is a massive country and Pakistan, although smaller, is a large country and both are independent in their own right. What is happening in Pakistan is a political issue and the whole country isn't affected, it is in particular parts of the county, [so Indian property investment] isn't affected."

This may be just as well, for the rise of India's economy, a well-documented trend, is expected by some to be one of the major factors in the development of the world economy in the 21st century. In such circumstances, property investors in both the commercial and residential sectors many expect to find many opportunities in the country as wealth grows and demand for homes which fit with western standards of living rises.

As an example of this, Bangalore, the IT capital of the country, used up nine million square ft of commercial property in 2007 and demand was for four million more, according to a report by overseas real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield, moneycontrol.com reported.

The report also noted that shortfalls in demand exist in other cities, such as Chennai and Mumbai.

With India's property market booming and other cities offering their own opportunities, such as Delhi's plan to use the 2010 commonwealth games to help its development the same way Glasgow is doing with 2014 and London is doing with the 2012 Olympics, the opportunities may continue growing. If India can indeed remain on course despite the problems of its neighbour, then the overseas investor could have a bright future in the country.