India’s quick commerce sector is projected to require 75 million sq. ft. of urban logistics space by 2030, driven by expanding dark-store networks and growing demand for faster deliveries, according to a report by CBRE South Asia Pvt Ltd.
The report, India’s Quick Commerce Scale-up: Decoding Dark Stores and Urban Logistics Demand, estimates that the requirement will comprise 42 million sq. ft. of in-city dark stores and 33 million sq. ft. of mother hubs, which are larger warehouses that replenish multiple dark stores.
Dark-store network expands
India’s quick-commerce ecosystem has grown to 7,800 dark stores in 2026, occupying 27 million sq. ft. across more than 100 cities. The network remains concentrated in major metropolitan markets, with 65-70% of stores located in the top eight cities.
However, expansion into tier-II and tier-III markets is gathering pace. The number of dark stores is expected to exceed 12,000 by 2030.
Quick-commerce warehousing demand grew at a compound annual growth rate of 81% between 2021 and 2025, accounting for 4-5% of pan-India logistics leasing during the period. Annual space take-up increased from 3.1 million sq. ft. in 2024 to 4.3 million sq. ft. in 2025.
Major cities dominate demand
Delhi-NCR accounted for 21% of quick-commerce-related space demand between 2021 and the first half of 2026, followed by Mumbai at 20% and Bengaluru at 17%. Together, the three markets represented nearly 60% of demand. Hyderabad accounted for 16% and Chennai for 11%.
“As platforms move from capital-heavy expansion to a more disciplined growth cycle, the focus is moving from simply adding stores to building dense, efficient and well-located fulfilment networks,” CBRE, Chairman and CEO – India, South-East Asia, Middle East and Africa, Anshuman Magazine, said.
Mother hubs support expansion
Mother hubs measuring 100,000-125,000 sq. ft. are becoming central to the sector’s hub-and-spoke model. Each typically serves 30-50 dark stores, depending on local store density, while accommodating products that cannot be stocked in compact urban facilities.
The hubs are expected to generate sustained demand for Grade-A space in logistics parks. Operators are also expanding into Jaipur, Lucknow, Surat, Coimbatore and Nagpur, where relatively cost-effective properties can support growth.
Franchise-led dark stores, third-party logistics providers and shared fulfilment infrastructure are expected to influence leasing patterns. Partnerships with neighbourhood kirana stores could also provide micro-warehousing capacity.
Location and infrastructure critical
“Quick commerce is creating a distinct urban logistics requirement that sits between retail and conventional warehousing. As networks expand, operators will increasingly assess sites on their ability to support high-throughput fulfilment, rather than on floor area alone,” CBRE, Managing Director – Leasing Services, India, Ram Chandnani, said.
He said ground-floor access, loading arrangements, rider circulation, power for cold-chain infrastructure and proximity to customer catchments would be critical.
Purpose-built and shared facilities could help operators manage high rents, space constraints and zoning requirements, particularly in smaller cities.