OpenAI Expands in India with New Mumbai and Bengaluru Offices

OpenAI announced plans to open new offices in Mumbai and Bengaluru later in 2026,
expanding its physical presence in India alongside its existing New Delhi office established
in August 2025. The move coincides with CEO Sam Altman’s attendance at the India AI
Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi, where he is set to elaborate on the company’s India
strategy.
This expansion forms part of “OpenAI for India,” a nationwide initiative to broaden AI access,
build sovereign capabilities, and accelerate enterprise and workforce transformation. Altman
praised India’s leadership in AI adoption, citing its homegrown talent, optimism, and
government support via the IndiaAI Mission as ideal for democratic, large-scale AI
deployment. “India is already leading the way… well placed to help shape its future,” he said,
committing to develop AI “with India, for India, and in India.”
India boasts over 100 million weekly ChatGPT users, students, developers, educators, and
enterprises, making it OpenAI’s second-largest market globally, with 800 million worldwide
active users. Bengaluru, India’s Silicon Valley, will focus on technical development, while
Mumbai targets business and enterprise partnerships.
Additional announcements include partnerships with IITs and AIIMS for AI in education and
healthcare, plus the first cohort of higher education institutions to integrate AI for students
and faculty. Collaborations like with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) aim to expand AI
infrastructure and workforce skills.
Altman’s summit participation, amid sessions with Google CEO Sundar Pichai and
Anthropic’s Dario Amodei, highlights India’s rising global AI stature. The offices will support
policy engagement, research, developer outreach, and tailored solutions in local languages,
addressing the digital-to-AI divide.
This strategic push taps India’s developer base and regulatory momentum, positioning
OpenAI to co-create inclusive AI ecosystems amid intensifying competition.