OpenAI to give Indian users free ChatGPT Go for a year

ChatGPT maker OpenAI has announced that users in India who subscribe during a limited promotional period from November 4 will receive a free one-year subscription to its ChatGPT Go plan.

The offer shows the company’s growing focus on India, which it describes as its second-largest and fastest-growing market.

The latest promotion coincides with OpenAI’s first DevDay Exchange event in Bengaluru on November 4. 

Existing ChatGPT Go subscribers in India will also be eligible for the free 12-month offer, with further details expected soon, according to the company.

In August, OpenAI introduced ChatGPT Go in India at a monthly price of Rs 399. The plan offers more access to key features, including higher message limits, expanded image generation, more file and image uploads, and longer memory, all powered by OpenAI’s GPT-5 model. 

According to the company, within the first month of launch, the number of paid ChatGPT subscribers in India more than doubled. Following this, the Go plan was rolled out to nearly 90 markets globally.

“Since initially launching ChatGPT Go in India a few months ago, the adoption and creativity we have seen from our users has been inspiring,” said Nick Turley, Vice President and Head of ChatGPT.

Millions of Indians already use ChatGPT every day, including developers, students, and professionals who rely on it for learning, creativity, and problem-solving. 

The company said the latest offer underlines its commitment to India and aligns with the broader momentum around artificial intelligence (AI) in the country as it prepares to host the AI Impact Summit next year.

In recent months, OpenAI has taken several steps to strengthen its operations in the country. It has registered as a legal entity in India and plans to open its first local office in New Delhi later this year.

Earlier in 2025, OpenAI partnered with the government’s IndiaAI Mission to launch the OpenAI Academy India programme. The initiative, which offers both digital and classroom training in multiple Indian languages, aims to help students, developers, and professionals build skills in AI.

The AI firm has also explored opportunities to establish local computing infrastructure to support its expanding user base.

OpenAI’s growing focus on India comes at a time when other global AI firms are making similar moves. 

Anthropic, the developer of the Claude chatbot, recently announced plans to open its first Indian office in Bengaluru in early 2026, with a focus on engineering and research roles.

Perplexity AI, known for its AI-driven search assistant, has identified India as its largest market and is building a local engineering team while introducing India-specific features such as live transcripts of corporate earnings calls.

As competition intensifies, India is becoming a key market for global AI companies seeking to attract developers, businesses, and consumers.