India, Dec. 11 -- India's retail mall segment is undergoing a structural shift, with Tier 2 cities rapidly emerging as strong performers, even as metros retain the majority of the organised shopping centre stock. Powered by rising incomes and aspirational spending, cities such as Chandigarh, Kochi, Visakhapatnam, and Surat are now seeing rentals that rival those of several Tier 1 markets, driven by surging demand and shifting consumer behaviour.

Knight Frank India's 'Think India, Think Retail 2025 - Value Capture' report showed that several Tier 2 markets now match, and in some cases outperform, their Tier 1 counterparts on key indicators such as mall occupancy, tenant stability, and balanced retail supply.

"The gap between high-quality...