OpenAI is preparing a major expansion in India with plans to build a 1-gigawatt data center, potentially one of the country’s largest, as part of its global Stargate AI infrastructure initiative. According to Bloomberg, the company is in talks with local partners, and CEO Sam Altman may announce the project during his upcoming visit to India.

This development follows OpenAI’s $500 billion Stargate project in the US with SoftBank and Oracle, delivering 4.5 gigawatts of capacity. Globally, the company has also announced a 520-megawatt facility in Norway and a massive 5-gigawatt project in Abu Dhabi.

For India, the move is well-timed, aligning with the government’s $1.2 billion IndiaAI Mission, which focuses on developing domestic language models. A large-scale data center would enhance OpenAI’s ability to deliver customized AI chatbots while addressing concerns about cross-border data transfers.

With India now its second-largest user base, OpenAI is also opening a New Delhi office, expanding hiring, and rolling out a $5 monthly plan to make AI more accessible.