Anthropic India Expansion 2026: Irina Ghose to Lead New Bengaluru Operations

India has become a key battleground for the next phase of the AI war. Anthropic just made a major move by appointing Irina Ghose, former Microsoft India managing director, to spearhead its operations in the country as the startup prepares to open its first office in Bengaluru.

Anthropic India Expansion: Leveraging Big Tech Expertise

Ghose brings a massive track record to the table, having spent 24 years at Microsoft before stepping down in December 2025. Her deep relationships with Indian enterprises and government institutions will be critical as Claude attempts to scale beyond tech-savvy early adopters into high-trust, enterprise-grade AI solutions.

India is already Anthropic’s second-largest user base. While usage is heavily skewed toward developers and technical tasks, the challenge remains converting scale into revenue. In September 2025, Claude’s consumer spending in India hit $195,000—a 572% surge, yet still modest compared to the $2.5 million generated in the U.S. during the same period.

The Rivalry: OpenAI vs. Anthropic in the Global South

Anthropic isn't the only one eyeing the subcontinent. OpenAI is planning a New Delhi office and has experimented with ChatGPT Go, a specialized pricing plan under $5 aimed at the Indian demographic. Meanwhile, telecom giants like Reliance and Airtel have become gatekeepers, bundling AI services like Google Gemini and Perplexity for their millions of subscribers.