New Delhi — OpenAI announced on Friday that it will open its first office in India later this year, choosing New Delhi as the base. The move marks a significant step for the ChatGPT-maker as India emerges as its second-largest and one of its fastest-growing markets after the United States.
The company confirmed that it has formally established an entity in India and started hiring a local team. OpenAI said the expansion reflects its support for the IndiaAI mission and its commitment to working with the government to build AI “for India, with India.”
India has witnessed a sharp surge in ChatGPT adoption, with weekly active users growing more than fourfold in the past year. The country also ranks among the top five developer markets on OpenAI’s platform and has the world’s largest student population on ChatGPT.
“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 IndiaAI Mission,” OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said. He added that setting up the India office is “an important first step” in making advanced AI more accessible across the country.
The local team will work closely with partners, businesses, academic institutions, and government bodies. OpenAI said its India presence would help it design features and tools specifically for the Indian market, making AI more affordable and inclusive.
The announcement follows recent India-focused initiatives such as ChatGPT Go, OpenAI Academy, and improved Indic language support. OpenAI also revealed plans to host its first Education Summit in India this month, followed by its first Developer Day in the country later this year.
Welcoming the move, Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said, “OpenAI’s decision to establish a presence in India reflects the country’s growing leadership in digital innovation and AI adoption. 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.”
Local institutions and businesses are already using OpenAI tools for agricultural services, recruitment, and governance, the company noted. It also confirmed that it is actively hiring for its India office and will announce further details in the coming months.
