The plan, called ChatGPT Go, is designed to expand the company’s reach in one of the world’s fastest-growing digital markets.

The move makes India the first country to receive the low-cost tier, which undercuts the global ChatGPT Plus subscription that costs $20 a month.

OpenAI confirmed that the new plan supports India’s widely used Unified Payments Interface (UPI), allowing millions of users to pay with ease.

ChatGPT leader Nick Turley said on social media: “Making ChatGPT more affordable has been a key ask from users!

“We’re rolling out Go in India first and will learn from feedback before expanding to other countries.”

The plan includes access to the GPT-4o model, unlimited conversations, and priority availability during peak times.

However, it leaves out certain advanced features offered in higher tiers, such as file uploads and integration with OpenAI’s ecosystem of plugins.

OpenAI executives described the launch as “a step toward tailoring our offerings to different markets”, highlighting India’s position as a key testing ground before global rollout.

Analysts see the pricing strategy as a way for the company to compete with local AI services and expand beyond its largely Western subscriber base.

The Indian tech sector has responded positively.

Rajeev Chandrasekhar, India’s Minister of State for Electronics and IT, wrote on X (formerly Twitter): “Affordable AI access is important for our digital economy.

“This is good news for developers, students, and startups.”

The launch comes as OpenAI continues to face pressure to scale profitably amid rising competition from Google, Anthropic, and homegrown Indian AI firms.

By offering a low-cost option in India, the company appears to be betting on massive adoption to drive long-term growth.