OpenAI Eyes India for Gigawatt-Scale AI Hub, Signaling Major Asia Push

OpenAI is reportedly in discussions with local partners to build a substantial data center in India as part of its Stargate AI infrastructure initiative. The facility would have a capacity of at least 1 gigawatt, making it one of the largest in the country. This move signals a significant expansion into Asia for the company, which is already establishing a formal presence in India.

The company has registered as a legal entity and is building a local team, with a new office in New Delhi slated to open later this year. India is OpenAI's second-largest user market, making it a key strategic location for expansion. The project is also seen as a way to align with India’s national AI goals and address concerns about data sovereignty. While the exact location and a definite timeline are not yet public, speculation is high that CEO Sam Altman could announce details during a planned visit to India this month.

The Indian data center industry is projected to reach approximately 4,500 megawatts by 2030, meaning a single 1 gigawatt facility from OpenAI would account for a large portion of that projected growth. This push into India is part of a wider global strategy for Stargate, a project that President Trump announced would involve up to $500 billion in private sector investment and is also expanding to other regions, including Norway and Abu Dhabi.