OpenAI is laying down roots in India, with plans this year to launch its first office in New Delhi, marking a critical milestone in its international expansion strategy.
The company has registered as a legal entity in the country and begun hiring a local team to support this new presence.
According to CEO Sam Altman, India has quickly become one of OpenAI’s most important markets, with user numbers now surpassed only by the U.S.
In fact, weekly ChatGPT usage has quadrupled in the past year, putting India in the top five globally for developer engagement.
This expansion follows the company’s launch of India-specific offerings, including the ChatGPT Go subscription tier priced at just ₹399 (about $4.60), aiming to make advanced AI more accessible across diverse socioeconomic groups.
The New Delhi office will operate as a local sales and customer relations hub, a strategic step to deepen OpenAI’s collaboration with Indian government bodies, educational institutions, businesses, and developers.
It will also host its first India-specific education summit and a developer day later this year.
This move aligns with India’s national IndiaAI Mission, backed by government initiatives to bolster AI research and infrastructure.
India’s Minister of Electronics and IT, Ashwini Vaishnaw, welcomed the development as a testament to the country’s growing leadership in AI innovation.
OpenAI now joins a global tech wave establishing local presence in India, tapping into its vast internet user base, deep talent pool, and supportive policy environment.
As the company builds its local team and operations, the effort raises the stakes in India’s race to become a global hub for responsible and impactful AI.