New Delhi: OpenAI has officially set up a local unit in India and will open its first office in New Delhi later this year, underscoring the explosive growth of its flagship product, ChatGPT, in the country.

“The level of excitement and opportunity for AI in India is incredible. India has all the ingredients to become a global AI leader—amazing tech talent, a world-class developer ecosystem, and strong government support through the India AI Mission,” OpenAI co-founder and CEO Sam Altman said in a statement.

Opening a local office, he added, would mark “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.”

India: A key growth market for OpenAI

According to OpenAI data:

  • India is ChatGPT’s second-largest market by users, and one of its fastest-growing.
  • Weekly active users have quadrupled in India over the past year.
  • India ranks among the Top 5 developer markets globally on the OpenAI platform.
  • The country has the largest student population on ChatGPT worldwide.

OpenAI has already set up its official Indian entity and started hiring a local team, which will focus on partnerships with government, businesses, developers, and academia.

India-specific initiatives

OpenAI is tailoring several offerings for the Indian market:

  • ChatGPT Go: A subscription plan priced at ₹399/month with UPI integration.
  • OpenAI Academy: A nationwide AI literacy programme with the Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY).
  • Enhanced Indic language support: The new GPT-5 model shows major improvements in regional language capabilities.
  • Study Mode: A new interactive feature designed to assist students with step-by-step guidance and personalised learning.

Government support

Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw welcomed OpenAI’s expansion, calling it a boost for the IndiaAI Mission.

“As part of the IndiaAI Mission, we are building the ecosystem for trusted and inclusive AI. OpenAI’s partnership will ensure the benefits of AI reach every citizen,” he said.

What’s next

  • OpenAI will host its first Education Summit in India later this month.
  • The company will also hold its first Developer Day in India later this year.
  • Hiring for roles across engineering, policy, and partnerships has begun.