Artificial intelligence startup Anthropic plans to open India office, eyes tie-up with billionaire Ambani as part of its global expansion strategy. Co-founder and CEO Dario Amodei is currently in India to finalize the company’s entry into Bengaluru and meet top executives at Reliance Industries, signaling the firm’s deepening focus on its second-largest market after the United States.
According to sources, Amodei is meeting Mukesh Ambani and other senior officials at Reliance Industries, India’s most valuable company and the parent of telecom giant Reliance Jio. The companies have been in discussions over a potential partnership to integrate Anthropic’s Claude AI assistant across India’s growing digital ecosystem.
India Emerges as a Key AI Growth Hub
India — home to more than a billion internet users — has rapidly become a crucial region for global AI firms. Multiple Indian startups already use Claude AI for customer solutions, while India ranks second globally in traffic to Claude’s website, according to Similarweb data.
In August, Reliance Industries launched a new division called Reliance Intelligence, partnering with tech giants including Google and Meta to develop AI infrastructure and enterprise solutions. The conglomerate had previously explored collaboration opportunities with OpenAI, which recently launched its affordable ChatGPT Plus plan in India and plans to open an office in New Delhi later in 2025.
However, the anticipated Reliance–OpenAI partnership announcement was delayed after OpenAI CEO Sam Altman postponed his India visit last month.
Amodei to Meet Top Officials and Launch Bengaluru Office
During his India visit, Amodei is also expected to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with senior government officials and lawmakers in New Delhi. Later this week, he will travel to Bengaluru to officially announce Anthropic’s India office opening, accompanied by Anthropic EMEA head Guillaume Princen and startups chief Daniel Delaney.
Prominent venture capital firms such as Accel and Lightspeed are also hosting sessions with Anthropic executives to help Indian developers and startups integrate Claude AI into their solutions.
Rapid Growth of Claude AI in India
Anthropic’s Claude app has witnessed significant momentum in India. According to Appfigures, downloads grew 48% year-over-year, reaching about 767,000 installs in September 2025. Consumer spending surged 572%, generating around $195,000 in the same month.
Though smaller than U.S. figures — where users spent $2.5 million — the Indian market remains a vital contributor to Anthropic’s global growth, which saw 546% year-over-year revenue growth.
Bengaluru: The Heart of Anthropic’s India Strategy
Unlike OpenAI, which plans to base its operations in New Delhi with a focus on sales and policy, Anthropic plans to open India office, eyes a tie-up with billionaire Ambani specifically to connect with developers, startups, and innovation hubs in Bengaluru. The company aims to strengthen India’s AI ecosystem by offering access to its Claude 3.5 model suite, empowering developers to build scalable, ethical AI-driven products.
An Indian founder working closely with Anthropic told TechCrunch that India represents the company’s largest usage market outside the U.S., reflecting the growing adoption of Claude AI among startups, enterprises, and independent creators.
Competing AI Firms Also Target India
Anthropic’s move comes amid rising competition from AI firms like Perplexity, which recently partnered with Bharti Airtel to offer its Perplexity Pro subscription to over 360 million Indian users. The AI search platform has also customized its offerings for local audiences, including real-time earnings call transcripts for Indian stock markets.
As the global race to dominate AI accelerates, Anthropic plans to open India office, eyes tie-up with billionaire Ambani as a strategic move to cement its position as a key player in India’s booming artificial intelligence landscape.