OpenAI Plans One of Asia’s Largest AI Data Centers in India

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The move marks a major step for OpenAI in Asia despite growing trade tensions between the US and India.

OpenAI is in talks with Indian partners to build a massive AI data center in India with a capacity of at least 1 gigawatt. The plan, part of its expansive Stargate push, would mark a significant leap forward for the company in Asia.

we are opening our first office in india later this year! and i'm looking forward to visiting next month.

ai adoption in india has been amazing to watch--chatgpt users grew 4x in the past year--and we are excited to invest much more in india!

— Sam Altman (@sama) August 22, 2025

Bloomberg reports that the exact location and timeline remain undisclosed, and speculation is high that CEO Sam Altman may announce it in his upcoming visit to India this month. Additionally, OpenAI has also formally registered as a legal entity in India and is assembling a local team, while also planning to open its first office in India later this year.

India’s entire data center industry is projected to reach around 4,500 MW capacity by 2030, with an estimated investment of $25 billion. A single OpenAI facility would then account for roughly 22 percent of that capacity.

This development comes even as trade tensions simmer between India and the United States. President Trump had earlier imposed steep 50 percent tariffs on Indian goods due to trade barriers and oil imports. Yet, this surge in tech infrastructure investments shows they may be insulated from broader disputes. Companies like OpenAI are clearly prioritizing India’s massive user base, despite the deepening of geopolitical fault lines.

Ultimately, it reflects the entrepreneurial spirit driving this bold expansion, and hints at how seriously OpenAI views its role in powering India’s AI and tech future.