OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, has opened its first office in India, located in New Delhi. This marks a major step in the company’s global expansion. India is one of the fastest-growing markets for artificial intelligence, which makes this move especially important.
Chief Executive Officer Sam Altman expressed his excitement about the development. He confirmed that he will travel to India in September and said, “I am excited to visit India in September.” Moreover, he emphasized that the new office will strengthen OpenAI’s connection with the community and help deliver its products more effectively.
The Delhi office is now official, and the company has already started hiring for local roles. OpenAI sees building a local team as vital to meeting India’s rising demand for AI tools. In addition, the company explained that this step will support students, teachers, developers, and professionals who already use ChatGPT.
India now ranks as the second-largest market for ChatGPT after the United States. To serve this user base, OpenAI recently introduced a low-cost monthly plan priced at ₹399 (about $4.60). This plan targets India’s nearly one billion internet users.
User engagement continues to rise. In fact, weekly active users in India have grown more than four times in the past year. Students lead this growth since schools and universities are exploring how AI can improve learning experiences.
To strengthen its reach, OpenAI has launched several local initiatives. For example, the company now offers ChatGPT Go at ₹399 per month with UPI payment support. It created the OpenAI Academy with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to focus on AI learning. Developers also gained expanded support for Indian languages in GPT-5. Additionally, Study Mode now helps learners with their studies. The company will host its first Education Summit this month. Later in the year, it will organize a Developer Day to encourage local innovation.
Businesses across India are also adopting OpenAI’s tools. For instance, sectors like agriculture, recruitment, and government services now rely on these technologies. However, competition remains strong. Google’s Gemini and AI start-up Perplexity continue to attract many users with free offerings.
OpenAI also faces legal challenges. Several news publishers and book companies accuse the firm of using their content without permission. Yet, OpenAI denies any wrongdoing.
Despite these hurdles, OpenAI believes India can become a global leader in AI. Altman highlighted India’s tech talent, thriving developer ecosystem, and government support through programs like the IndiaAI Mission. Union Minister for Electronics and IT, Ashwini Vaishnaw, welcomed OpenAI’s decision, saying it reflects India’s leadership in digital innovation and AI adoption.
With the new Delhi office, OpenAI shows its strong commitment to India. The company wants to expand access to AI tools while empowering students, professionals, and businesses. As a result, this move strengthens OpenAI’s presence and supports India’s broader technological growth.
