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State Guide · Lakshadweep

How to Buy Land in Lakshadweep: Complete Property Buyer's Guide 2026

Lakshadweep's land system is the most restrictive in India: only permanent residents under the 1965 Regulations can own land. These regulations were not changed post-2019 when Article 370 was abrogated. Non-natives - including all other Indian citizens - cannot buy, lease for private purposes, or inherit land. The only engagement route for non-natives is through the Tourism Department's licensed operations framework, which does not constitute land ownership.

Updated Apr 2026
3 sections
Only Lakshadweep natives can own land - 1965 Regulations
Non-natives: no ownership route exists
Checklist: 0 / 0 items verified
On this page
I Native-only land ownership II What natives and non-natives can do III Verification points & portals
⚠Lakshadweep absolute restriction: The 1965 Regulations restrict land ownership exclusively to Lakshadweep natives - unchanged as of April 2026. Non-natives including all other Indian citizens cannot buy, lease for private purposes, or hold land in Lakshadweep under any arrangement.
I

Lakshadweep: Native-Only Land Ownership Under the 1965 Regulations

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Lakshadweep is India's smallest Union Territory - 36 coral islands in the Arabian Sea with a total land area of approximately 32 square kilometres and a resident population of about 64,000. It is almost entirely Muslim in religious composition, linguistically Malayalam-speaking, and administered directly by the Union Government through a Lieutenant Governor.

The property market in Lakshadweep is closed to all outsiders by design and by law. The Lakshadweep Land Revenue and Tenancy Regulation 1965 and the Lakshadweep (Land Tenancy) Regulation 1965 restrict land ownership exclusively to Lakshadweep natives - persons defined as permanent residents under the Regulations and their legal heirs. These Regulations were not changed when Article 370 was abrogated in 2019 and Lakshadweep's regulatory framework was updated.

Land Ownership
ONLY Lakshadweep natives (permanent residents) under 1965 Regulations
Non-Natives
Cannot buy, lease for private purposes, or inherit land - includes all other Indian citizens
1965 Regulations
Not changed post-2019. Still fully in force as of April 2026.
Total Land Area
~32 sq km - India's smallest UT. 36 coral islands.
The 1965 Regulations are unchanged as of April 2026. In 2021, a Draft Lakshadweep Development Authority Regulation was proposed that would have opened land ownership to non-natives. That draft was withdrawn following strong public opposition from Lakshadweep residents. The current position is that only Lakshadweep natives can own land. Any broker, agent, or online listing claiming to offer land purchase opportunities to non-natives is misrepresenting the law.
II

What Lakshadweep Natives Can Do and What No One Else Can

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The land market within Lakshadweep operates exclusively among permanent residents. Lakshadweep natives can buy, sell, transfer, and inherit land freely within the community, following the 1965 Regulations and local customs.

Lakshadweep Natives
Can buy, sell, transfer, and inherit land. Governed by 1965 Regulations.
All Other Indian Citizens
Cannot purchase, lease for private purposes, or hold land in Lakshadweep.
Government Officials
Posted officials receive government accommodation. This is not private ownership and cannot be transferred.
Tourism Operators
SPORTS (Society for Promotion of Nature Tourism and Sports) manages tourism facilities. Non-natives can book accommodation but cannot own underlying land.

The only practical engagement route for non-native investors interested in Lakshadweep's tourism economy is through the Tourism Department's formal licensing framework, where the Administration retains land ownership and grants operating licenses to investors. This does not constitute land ownership and comes with its own licensing conditions. Any arrangement marketed as private land ownership by a non-native is not legally valid.

SPORTS and Tourism Licensing - the only non-native investment route. SPORTS (Society for Promotion of Nature Tourism and Sports) operates most of Lakshadweep's formal tourism infrastructure. Non-native investors can approach the Tourism Department and SPORTS about licensed operations. This is not land ownership - it is an operating license over land that remains owned by the Lakshadweep Administration. Legal advice specific to Lakshadweep tourism licensing is essential before entering any such arrangement.
III

For Lakshadweep Natives: Key Verification Points

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For Lakshadweep permanent residents transacting within the native community, the following verification points apply.

Permanent resident status of both buyer and seller not confirmed. Both parties must be Lakshadweep natives under the 1965 Regulations. Verify permanent resident certificates for both parties.
Non-native buyer attempting to acquire land by any means. The 1965 Regulations do not provide an exception. No arrangement - lease, agreement to sell, benami - gives a non-native legal land rights.
Title chain from original native holder not fully documented. Lakshadweep's land records are maintained at the Sub-Divisional Magistrate level. Full title chain verification at the SDM office is required.
Land in uninhabited islands (30 of the 36 Lakshadweep islands are uninhabited). The uninhabited islands are government-managed conservation and strategic areas. No private transactions exist for uninhabited island land.
PortalWhat you getURL
Lakshadweep AdministrationLand revenue, native residency certificates, all UT governance.lakshadweep.gov.in
Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM)Land records, title verification, revenue matters for each inhabited island group.SDM offices - Kavaratti, Agatti, Amini, Andrott, Minicoy
SPORTS - Nature TourismTourism facility management and licensing. Entry point for non-native tourism investments.SPORTS Office, Kavaratti

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