CHENNAI: OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, has set up an Indian subsidiary named OpenAI India Private Limited and is preparing to open its first office in New Delhi later this year.
India has quickly become OpenAI’s second-largest market after the U.S., with weekly active users growing four times over the past year. To strengthen its presence, the company has already begun hiring for local roles.
As part of its India strategy, OpenAI recently introduced its most affordable subscription plan worldwide—priced at about ₹399 per month ($4.60)—to make ChatGPT more accessible to a wider user base.
The company says the local office will help it develop AI tools tailored for India, while also engaging with policymakers, developers, educators, and businesses. OpenAI is also planning events such as an Education Summit and a Developer Day to deepen collaboration with the local ecosystem.
Reports quoted CEO Sam Altman calling the move as an “important first step” in making advanced AI widely available in India, a country he sees as a potential global hub for artificial intelligence.
At the same time, OpenAI faces challenges, including legal disputes with Indian publishers over alleged misuse of content for training its AI models, as well as stiff competition from rivals such as Google’s Gemini and Perplexity, which offer free AI tools.
Despite these hurdles, the decision to establish a formal entity and a base in New Delhi signals OpenAI’s long-term commitment to India, a market seen as critical to its global expansion, said an industry analyst tracking technology sector.