OpenAI to launch First office in India

August 22, 2025

New Delhi: OpenAI will soon open its first office in Delhi, and plans to build a local team to expand its presence in India. The company shared this information with Reuters in a statement that it is setting up as a legal entity in India and has started recruiting a local team.

Legal Challenge and Market

OpenAI in India has been accused by some media outlets and book publishers of using their content to train ChatGPT without permission. The company has denied these allegations. India has a large number of ChatGPT users, and the company has reported an increase in weekly active users in the country compared to last year.

To expand access in India, OpenAI has launched its cheapest monthly plan ever at $4.60.

“OpenAI’s first office and building a local team is an important first step in our intention to make advanced AI more accessible across the country, and also build AI with India,” said Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI.

Competitive landscape

India is facing strong competition from players like Google’s Gemini and AI startup Perplexity, which have offered their advanced plans for free for many users.

What to expect next

The India office will be a hub for localization of AI products, partnerships, and expanding access for Indian consumers/companies. The regulatory environment is important to keep an eye on as there is scrutiny on content use and data practices in AI training.