Google has reportedly leased a substantial 649,000 square feet of office space at Alembic City in Whitefield, Bengaluru. According to the Economic Times, the tech giant has rented the space at Rs 62 per square foot per month, with a three-year lock-in period as part of its ongoing expansion strategy in India.
“This aligns with the tech giant’s proactive strategy of leasing both traditional and flexible office spaces in major Indian cities to strengthen its presence,” an anonymous source revealed to the Economic Times.
Continued Expansion in India
This lease in Bengaluru is part of a series of expansions by Google in India. In 2022, Google renewed a rental agreement for 600,000 square feet of office space in Hyderabad and secured an additional 1.3 million square feet through a deal with Bagmane Developers in Bangalore.
“Since 2020, Google’s office space portfolio in India has grown by a staggering 3.5 million square feet,” another source informed the publication. “The company boasts a presence across five Indian cities, occupying a total real estate footprint of 9.3 million square feet.”
Google’s Commitment to the Indian Market
While Google has not yet responded to inquiries from the Economic Times, the company has demonstrated a strong commitment to the Indian market through various initiatives. These include plans to manufacture smartphones at a Foxconn facility in Tamil Nadu and launching independent drone production within the state. Google aims to begin producing Pixel smartphones in India, starting with the Pixel 8 model. Additionally, reports suggest Google may be relocating some roles to India, a market experiencing significant growth.
“India holds priority status for Pixel smartphones, and we’re committed to offering the best of our hardware and integrated software capabilities to the people of India,” Google declared in a recent blog post.
Surge in Office Space Demand Post-Pandemic
Google’s expansion comes at a time when India’s office space market is projected to experience significant growth, as major IT firms return to offline work post-pandemic. Large corporations are anticipating a rise in demand for flexible workspaces in the coming year.