India has just scored a significant win in its AI access — for now. OpenAI has announced that its subscription tier, ChatGPT Go, will be available free for one year to eligible users in India starting 4 November 2025. 

What’s on offer?

Usually priced at around ₹399 per month in India (≈ US $4.50), ChatGPT Go offers more advanced access than the free tier: users get enhanced usage limits, image-generation, file-upload features and access to the latest model (GPT-5).
Under this new offer:

• Indian users (new, free‐tier and even existing ChatGPT Go subscribers in good standing) can claim the free year.

• The promotion is live on web and Android already; iOS rollout follows.

• Payment method (credit card or UPI) is required for enrollment - even though no subscription fee will apply during the year.
  
  

Why is OpenAI doing this?

The move fits into a larger strategy. India is one of OpenAI’s fastest-growing markets and, by some metrics, its second-largest after the U.S.
By offering a year of free access, OpenAI is:

• Lowering the barrier to premium AI features for Indian users.

• Encouraging long-term adoption rather than one-off trials.

• Positioning itself strongly in India ahead of competitive offerings from rivals (e.g., Perplexity AI and Google LLC).
  
  

What to watch out for

• The free year ends after 12 months, after which regular pricing will apply unless users cancel in advance.

• UPI payment issues have surfaced for some users enrolling in the offer.

• Not all features of the highest-tier plans are included in ChatGPT Go (e.g., full API access remains separate) so it’s still a “premium but mid-tier” offering.

What this means for users and the market

For Indian users, it’s a big opportunity - access to advanced AI tools without upfront cost. Whether for students, side-hustlers, creators or professionals, this can boost productivity, experimentation and innovation. For the industry, it signals deepening global competition in AI and a recognition of India’s potential as a digital growth market. At the same time, this offer comes with strategic overtones: gaining user mind-share now may pay off later when upsells, enterprise features and adjacent services come into play.