Starting November 4, OpenAI will make its ChatGPT Go plan free for one year to all users in India who sign up during a limited promotional period.
The company confirmed that both new and existing ChatGPT Go subscribers in India will qualify for the free 12-month access.
However, it did not specify how long the promotional window will remain open.
The ChatGPT Strategy
OpenAI is looking to expand its user base in one of its largest and fastest-growing markets.
ChatGPT Go, priced at under $5 per month, was OpenAI’s initial strategy. The plan launched in India in August as the company’s most affordable subscription.
The service later expanded to Indonesia and, earlier this month, to 16 other countries across Asia.
The goal is to make advanced AI tools more accessible to users in developing regions where cost often limits adoption.
ChatGPT Go offers significant upgrades over the free tier. Users get 10 times more usage capacity, faster response times, and the ability to generate images and upload files.
The plan also includes improved memory for more personalized and context-aware responses.
Nick Turley, OpenAI’s vice president and head of ChatGPT, praised India’s rapid adoption of the plan.
“Since initially launching ChatGPT Go in India a few months ago, the adoption and creativity we’ve seen from our users has been inspiring,” he said.
“We’re excited to see the amazing things our users will build, learn, and achieve with these tools.”
India’s Role
India is no stranger to OpenAI’s attention. With over 700 million smartphone users and more than a billion internet subscribers, the country is one of the world’s largest digital audiences.
In August, OpenAI opened its office in New Delhi and began assembling a local team.
Earlier this year, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman described India as the company’s second-largest market after the United States.
Still, converting that massive user base into paying customers has been difficult.
According to Appfigures data reviewed by TechCrunch, ChatGPT saw over 29 million downloads in India during the 90 days leading up to August.
Yet, during that same period, the app generated just $3.6 million in in-app purchases.
That revenue gap suggests the reason why OpenAI is eager to test new models.
Offering the ChatGPT Go plan free for a year could attract more loyal users, boost engagement, and encourage long-term subscriptions once the offer ends.
Competition
Rivals such as Perplexity and Google are also targeting India’s large and youthful population.
Perplexity recently partnered with Airtel, one of India’s biggest telecom operators, to provide free Perplexity Pro subscriptions to its 360 million customers.
Similarly, Google rolled out a one-year free AI Pro plan for students in India to encourage early adoption of its AI services.
For OpenAI, offering a year of free ChatGPT Go access could help establish a stronger foothold before competitors dominate the market.
Local Engagement
The timing of the announcement aligns with OpenAI’s upcoming DevDay Exchange conference in Bengaluru on November 4.
The event will bring together developers, startups, and enterprises to explore how AI can support local innovation.
OpenAI is expected to unveil more India-focused updates during the event.
These could include tools, features, or partnerships designed to support developers and small businesses building with ChatGPT’s technology.
