OpenAI has begun offering its ChatGPT Go subscription at no cost for twelve months to Indian users who register during a limited promotional period, as the artificial intelligence company seeks to expand its foothold in one of its most important markets.

The San Francisco-based firm announced the promotion on Tuesday but declined to specify how long the offer would remain available. Existing ChatGPT Go subscribers in India will also qualify for the complimentary twelve-month plan, according to the company.

Priced below $5 monthly, ChatGPT Go launched in India last August as OpenAI's most affordable paid subscription tier. The service subsequently expanded to Indonesia before reaching sixteen additional Asian countries earlier this month.

India, the world's most populous nation with over 700 million smartphone users and more than one billion internet subscribers, represents a crucial market for OpenAI. The company established its New Delhi office in August and is currently assembling a local team to strengthen its presence.

Earlier this year, OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman identified India as the company's second-largest market after the United States. However, generating revenue from ChatGPT's paid subscriptions in the country has proved challenging.

ChatGPT Go provides ten times more usage than the free version for generating responses, creating images and uploading files. It also features enhanced memory capabilities for more personalised interactions, according to OpenAI.

"Since initially launching ChatGPT Go in India a few months ago, the adoption and creativity we've seen from our users has been inspiring," said Nick Turley, vice president overseeing ChatGPT, in a statement. "We're excited to see the amazing things our users will build, learn, and achieve with these tools."

OpenAI faces intensifying competition from rivals similarly targeting India's substantial and youthful user population. Perplexity recently partnered with telecommunications operator Airtel to provide complimentary Perplexity Pro subscriptions to the carrier's 360 million subscribers. Google has introduced a free one-year AI Pro plan for Indian students.

The promotional strategy reflects broader industry recognition that whilst India offers enormous potential user numbers, converting them to paying customers requires significant incentives given price sensitivity in the market. Many technology companies view India as crucial for establishing market share even when immediate profitability remains elusive.

OpenAI is scheduled to host its DevDay Exchange developer conference in Bengaluru on 4 November, where the company is expected to announce India-specific initiatives aimed at local developers and enterprises.

The free subscription offer represents a substantial investment in user acquisition, with OpenAI effectively forgoing twelve months of subscription revenue per user in exchange for market penetration and data on Indian usage patterns. Whether users will maintain paid subscriptions once the promotional period expires remains uncertain.

The competitive dynamics in India's AI services market differ markedly from Western markets. Price sensitivity runs higher, local language support proves essential, and partnerships with established telecommunications and technology companies can provide crucial distribution advantages.

OpenAI's establishment of local operations signals long-term commitment beyond simply offering services to Indian users. A permanent presence enables closer relationships with enterprise clients, developers and government stakeholders whilst demonstrating serious investment in the market.

India's regulatory environment for AI remains relatively permissive compared to stricter frameworks emerging in Europe, though the government has indicated interest in developing governance structures as technology adoption accelerates. OpenAI's local presence positions it to engage with policymakers as regulations evolve.

The Bengaluru developer conference timing—coinciding with the promotional launch—suggests OpenAI views India not merely as a consumer market but as a source of technical talent and innovation that could contribute to the platform's global development.