OpenAI has launched a new, more affordable ChatGPT subscription plan in India called ChatGPT GO, priced at ₹399 per month ($4.60), significantly lower than the existing ₹1,999 ($23) per month Plus plan. The move marks OpenAI’s first regional pricing rollout with local currency and payment integration, as the company has now enabled payments via UPI, India’s dominant digital payment system. Nick Turley, Vice President at OpenAI and head of ChatGPT, said the new plan offers users 10 times more message, image generation, and file upload capacity compared to the free tier. It also enhances memory retention, allowing for more personalized and context-aware interactions over time. “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,” Turley said. The launch follows earlier speculation by Tibor Blaho, a well-known leaker of upcoming AI product details, who had shared insights about the plan and its pricing prior to the official announcement. OpenAI recently reported that ChatGPT now has over 700 million weekly active users globally—up from 500 million in March. The company also rolled out an upgraded image generation feature in March, which contributed to increased engagement in India. According to app analytics firm AppFigures, India has led global downloads of the ChatGPT app over the past 90 days, with more than 29 million downloads. However, despite this high adoption, the app generated only $3.6 million in revenue from Indian users during that period, highlighting a gap between usage and monetization. OpenAI’s strategy in India focuses on affordability rather than free access. While competitors like Perplexity have partnered with telecom provider Airtel to offer free Pro subscriptions and Google has launched a one-year free AI Pro plan for Indian students, OpenAI is betting on low-cost pricing to drive conversions. By offering a budget-friendly tier with meaningful upgrades, OpenAI aims to convert casual users into paying subscribers. With over 850 million internet users in India and rising demand for AI tools, this localized approach could significantly boost ChatGPT’s market penetration in one of the world’s largest digital markets.