Take a close look at any high-end property deal and you may see the hand of an Indian investor. Indiaâs ultra-rich have almost 44% of their net worth tied up in real estate, according to data from Knight Frank.  Indians top the list of foreign buyers for Dubaiâs architectural marvels, including the lofty Burj Khalifa, according to the Dubai Land Department statistics.  âIndians form a significant part of our overseas investors,â said Nivine William, associate account director at ASDA'A Burson-Marsteller, the public relations agency of Emaar Properties, developers of the 160-floor Burj Khalifa. âThe geographic proximity, within four hours of flying distance, the large population of Indians in the region, and the strong trade ties between the UAE and India are the growth drivers.â  Other luxury properties in Dubai in hot demand include the Palm Islands, the world's largest man-made islands shaped like a palm tree. âIndian investors account for a considerable proportion of investors in our projects,â said Rebecca Rees, media relations manager at Nakheel, developers of the megastructure. âTheir purchases cover all properties across Nakheelâs diverse portfolio, from luxury waterfront properties to mid-range accommodation at our communities in Dubai.â  In the UK, Indians form the largest group of overseas buyers in Londonâs prime residential areas such as Mayfair, comprising 25% of all purchasers, according to Wetherell, an estate agency that specialises in Mayfair properties. Indians, the agency said, are second only to British-based buyers, and well ahead of Asian and Continental European buyers (19% of all purchasers), and Russians and Middle Eastern buyers, who now comprise just 13% each of all buyers.  In 2013, Indian buyers spent almost Â£450m ($703m) purchasing some 221 residential properties in central London including Mayfair, St Johnâs Wood and Belgravia, the agency said.  A former British colony, India shares historical ties to Britain, a geography to which many Indians have a natural affinity. âIndian investment in luxury property in London goes back to the Edwardian era when some of Indiaâs richest princes owned mansions in the capital, most notably HEH the Nizam of Hyderabad who owned Hyderabad House at No.6 Palace Green in Kensington and purchased properties for his family in Mayfair and Belgravia,â said Peter Wetherell, chief executive of Wetherell, in an email.  âIndian buyers will typically spend anything from Â£1m ($1.56m) to Â£20m ($31.25m) on a home in Mayfair,â said Wetherell. âAt the height of each British summer, some 3,000 rich Indian families escape Indiaâs summer heat to live in their London homes.â  Indian billionaires, he added, also own some of Mayfairâs most important hotels. The landmark Grosvenor House Hotel, for example, is owned by the Sahara India Pariwar Group, headed by Indian entrepreneur Subrata Roy who bought the hotel in 2010 for Â£470m ($734.6m). In the US, Indians are the fourth-largest property buyers, after Canadians, Chinese and Mexicans, according to Chicago-based National Association of Realtors.  As well, particularly adventurous millionaires and billionaires are seeking private islands in exotic locations, according to The Times of India, which reported that an increasing number of Indians are approaching Canadian real-estate company Private Islands Inc for ideas on buying a secluded hideaway. (Burj Khalifa/Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)
More Indians are joining the ranks of the worldâs wealthiest. Where do you find evidence of their influence? Look up, for one.