OpenAI is set to establish its first office in New Delhi later this year, marking a major step in expanding its presence in India—already the company’s second-largest market after the United States. The move comes as India has witnessed a 4x surge in weekly active ChatGPT users over the past year, while also emerging among the top five global developer hubs and leading in student adoption of AI tools.
“The level of excitement and opportunity for AI in India is incredible,” said Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI. “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 IndiaAI Mission.”
Currently, Pragya Misra serves as OpenAI’s sole representative in India, where she has been driving public policy and partnerships since last year. With the New Delhi office, the company aims to expand its engagement with developers, enterprises, and policymakers.
OpenAI has already introduced a series of India-focused initiatives. These include ChatGPT Go, priced at ₹399 per month with UPI payment support, the OpenAI Academy in collaboration with MeitY, enhanced Indic language capabilities in GPT-5, and the recently launched Study Mode tailored for learners. Together, these efforts reflect the company’s intent to integrate AI more deeply into India’s digital ecosystem.
The announcement also drew a positive response from the Indian government. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw remarked: “With strong investments in digital public infrastructure, AI talent, and enterprise-scale solutions, India is uniquely positioned to drive the next wave of AI-led transformation. We welcome OpenAI’s partnership in advancing this vision.”
India’s growing role in the global AI landscape has made it an attractive market for technology leaders. With millions of students and developers actively experimenting with generative AI tools, OpenAI’s expanded presence could further accelerate innovation in education, research, and enterprise solutions.
By choosing New Delhi as its first physical hub in the country, OpenAI is signaling its long-term commitment to supporting India’s ambitions of becoming a global AI powerhouse while building closer ties with local partners and the government.
