OpenAI to set up India office this year in New Delhi, starts hiring for AI talent

ChatGPT creator OpenAI has formally entered India with plans to establish its first office in New Delhi later this year, according to a statement shared with Reuters. The move underscores the company’s growing ambitions in what has rapidly become its second-largest market by user base and one of its fastest-growing globally.

The company has already registered a legal entity in India and begun building a local team that will focus on deepening ties with partners, government bodies, businesses, developers, and academic institutions. “India has all the ingredients to become a global AI leader—world-class tech talent, a vibrant developer ecosystem, and strong government support through the IndiaAI Mission,” said Sam Altman, co-founder and chief executive of OpenAI. “Opening our first office and building a local team is an important first step in our commitment to make advanced AI more accessible across the country and to build AI for India, and with India.”

OpenAI’s timing is no accident. India has emerged as a crucial market, with ChatGPT’s weekly active users quadrupling in the past year. The country is now home to the largest student user base of the platform and ranks among the top five developer markets worldwide. OpenAI shared this data on Friday in a statement first reported by Reuters. To capitalise on this momentum, the company recently introduced ChatGPT Go, an India-specific subscription priced at ₹399 per month with UPI integration, making it the most affordable plan globally.

The expansion also coincides with the rollout of several initiatives tailored to the Indian market. These include OpenAI Academy, an AI literacy programme launched in partnership with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, enhanced Indic language support in GPT-5, and a new “Study Mode” designed to help students learn through guided, interactive engagement. Later this month, OpenAI will host its first Education Summit in India, followed by a Developer Day later in the year.

The Indian government has welcomed the company’s arrival. “OpenAI’s decision to establish a presence in India reflects the country’s growing leadership in digital innovation and AI adoption,” said IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. “As part of the IndiaAI Mission, we are building the ecosystem for trusted and inclusive AI, and we welcome OpenAI’s partnership in ensuring the benefits of AI reach every citizen.”

Still, OpenAI faces hurdles. The company is grappling with legal challenges from news outlets and book publishers in India, who accuse it of using their content without consent to train ChatGPT, a charge the firm denies. At the same time, competition is intensifying. Google’s Gemini and AI startup Perplexity have both made aggressive plays in India, with some premium services offered free to capture market share.

For OpenAI, India represents both opportunity and test case: a vast, young, digitally savvy population eager to experiment with AI tools, coupled with an increasingly assertive regulatory environment. How the company navigates these dynamics could set the tone for its broader international expansion.