athena constructions ltd Management discussions

OVERVIEW OF THE ECONOMY

The Indian economy has proven to be remarkably resilient in the face of deteriorating global situation. India will be the fastest-growing economy among the seven largest emerging markets and developing economies, despite a challenging external environment, said the World Bank in its global economic prospects report. The World Bank stated in its "Navigating the Storm" report in November 2022 that Indias economy is relatively insulated from global spillovers compared to other emerging markets. This is partly because India has a large domestic market and is relatively less exposed to international trade flows." Indian economy is expected to be the fastest growing major economy worldwide at 6.5-7% for the year ending March 2023. Indias growth continues to resilient despite some signs of moderation in growth, says World Bank in its latest India Development Update, the update notes that although significant challenges remain in the global environment, India was one of the fast-growing economies in the world. The World Bank has forecasted GDP growth at 6.3% for the Financial Year 2023-24.

INDUSTRYSTRUCTURE AND DEVELOPMENTS

Real estate sector is one of the highest employment generators after agriculture sector in India. It comprises Residential, Office, Retail, Hospitality and Industrial. Real estate sector in India is expected to reach US$ 1 trillion in market size by 2030, up from US$ 200 billion in 2021. It will contribute 18-20% to countrys GDP by 2030 according to a joint report by NAREDCO and E&Y. The report further states that there is a favorable demand-supply gap which will propel the growth of this sector. Additional 25 million units of affordable housing are required by 2030, highlights the Naredco and EY joint report. With the rise of the corporate environment, the demand for office space and urban and semi-urban accommodation has increased, assisting the growth of this business. Emergence of nuclear families, rapid urbanization and inflating disposable income of individuals are attributable to the higher demand for residential properties, expanding e-commerce sector in the country is catalyzing demand for warehousing facilities. According to Savills India, real estate demand for data centers is expected to increase by 15-18 million sq. ft. by 2025. With fractional ownership becoming more widespread, NonResident Indians (NRIs) and millennials wanting to invest in residential property will fuel the 2023 real estate market. Infrastructure spending on the roads, metro railway and other amenities have sustained realty growth in India. The industry has faced a series of challenges like rising construction costs, skyrocketing inflation, successive rate hikes by RBI etc but despite these obstacles, the sector managed to achieve substantial growth in recent. According to a report, Indias real estate market is expected to exhibit a growth of rate (CAGR) of 9.2% during 2023-28.

OUTLOOK

The rising demand for residential properties, along with the growing infrastructural development that provides enhanced connectivity via roads, air, and railways, is primarily driving the India real estate market. The Indian real estate market is expected to exhibit a CAGR of 9.2% during 2023-2028. Moreover, the increasing need for contemporary office spaces and the emerging trend of urban and semi-urban lodging are acting as other significant growth inducing factors. Furthermore, the expanding ecommerce sector in the country is catalyzing the demand for warehousing facilities, which is providing a positive thrust to the market. Besides this, with the growing use of telecommunication services and the implementation of 5G and data localization norms, there is a rise in the need for data storage facilities. This, in turn, is positively influencing the demand for resilient data center infrastructure and consequently bolstering the market growth.

SEGMENT WISE OR PRODUCT WISE PERFORMANCE

The Company is engaged in construction activity, hence the segment wise reporting is not applicable. Financial Performance of the Company for the year under review has already covered under the Directors Report.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT

Management Discussion and Analysis detailing the Companys objectives, outlook and expectations have "forward looking statement" within the meaning of applicable securities laws and regulations. Actual results could differ materially from those expressed or implied depending upon global and Indian demand supply conditions, changes in Government regulations, tax regimes and economic developments within India and overseas.