As Anthropic accelerates its expansion into India, it has encountered a legal challenge from a local software company that claims prior rights to the name “Anthropic.” The Indian firm, Anthropic Software, filed a complaint in a commercial court in Karnataka in January, asserting it has been using the name since 2017 and arguing that Anthropic’s recent entry into the market has caused significant customer confusion. The filing comes amid growing global interest in India’s AI landscape. Anthropic announced plans to open an office in India last October and recently appointed Irina Ghose, former managing director of Microsoft India, to lead its operations in the region—highlighting the country’s rising strategic importance for international AI firms expanding beyond the U.S. and Europe. Anthropic Software’s founder and director, Mohammadayyaz A. Mulla, told TechCrunch the company did not seek confrontation but is seeking legal clarity and recognition of its longstanding use of the name. He emphasized that litigation was a last resort, taken only after attempts to resolve the issue amicably failed. “As of now, I am exercising my legal right as it’s causing huge confusion to my customers,” he said. The company is seeking formal recognition of its prior use of the name, relief to prevent further confusion, and ₹10 million (approximately $110,000) in damages. A court order dated January 20, reviewed by TechCrunch, confirms that the court has issued notice and summons to Anthropic. However, it declined to issue an interim injunction and scheduled the case for a return hearing on February 16. India, the world’s most populous nation and one of the fastest-growing digital markets, has emerged as a key battleground for AI companies. Anthropic’s upcoming appearance at the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi next week—where it will join industry leaders including Sam Altman, Jensen Huang, and Sundar Pichai—underscores the country’s growing influence in the global AI conversation. Anthropic has not responded to a request for comment on the legal matter.