Why the US-Iran war could hold the key to your dream home delivery in 2026

The US-Iran war could hold the key to Indian homebuyer's dream home delivery in 2026, research shows. According to a report by Anarock Research, developers face a challenging execution phase amid growing uncertainty due to the war which doesn't seem to be ending soon.

Extended disruptions to global trade routes, commodity markets, and supply chains have put developers’ ability to deliver projects on schedule to the hardest test in decades, the report says.

It further says that 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.

However, the end-user-driven housing demand remains resilient, and project financing is also better than in previous cycles

Record number of houses scheduled for completion

The report says that a record 5,40,400 housing units are scheduled for completion across the top 7 cities in 2026. This is the highest number of houses expected to be delivered in a year 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.

• Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR): 2,07,300

• Pune: 1,00,300

• Bengaluru: 69,000

• Hyderabad: 63,700

• Chennai: 35,600

• Delhi-NCR: 39,000

• Kolkata: 22,500

Year-wise number of houses completed/to be completed

The report 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.

Covid redux?

"Historically, ambitious housing supply pipelines have often been vulnerable to external shocks like these,” said Dr. Prashant Thakur, Executive Director & Head - Research & Advisory, Anarock Group.

“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,” he added.

As per the report, the gap between the scheduled and actual completions shows that even projects in advanced stages of construction can face delays when confronted with large-scale disruptions.

However, the current situation is fundamentally different from the pandemic, as construction activity continues uninterrupted and labour availability remains stable.

Dr Thakur said, “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," he added.