Anthropic appoints ex-Microsoft India MD to spearhead Bengaluru expansion efforts.
Image Credits:Jagmeet Singh / TechCrunch
Anthropic Appoints Irina Ghose to Lead Indian Operations
Anthropic, the U.S.-based AI startup, has taken significant steps toward expanding its footprint in India by appointing Irina Ghose as the leader of its India business. This strategic move comes as the company prepares to open an office in Bengaluru, signaling the growing importance of India as a key battleground for AI companies aiming to expand beyond U.S. markets.
Irina Ghose: A Seasoned Executive
Irina Ghose brings a wealth of experience to Anthropic, having spent 24 years as a managing director at Microsoft India before stepping down in December 2025. Her extensive background in big tech equips her with the essential skills and networks needed to navigate the Indian market. With strong local enterprise and government relationships, Ghose is well-positioned to help Anthropic establish a significant on-the-ground presence in one of the world’s fastest-growing AI markets.
India: A Strategic Market for AI
India has emerged as one of Anthropic’s most strategically vital markets. The country ranks as the second-largest user base for Anthropic’s AI application, Claude, with many users engaging in technical and work-related tasks, including software development. This rise in usage parallels the increasing competition, particularly from rivals like OpenAI, which is also planning to establish an office in New Delhi. This competition emphasizes how India is rapidly becoming a hotbed for generative AI commercialization.
Challenges in Monetization
While India’s potential is massive—boasting over a billion internet subscribers and more than 700 million smartphone users—translating this reach into meaningful revenue remains a challenge. Companies like OpenAI have experimented with aggressive pricing structures to attract users, launching the under-$5 ChatGPT Go plan for Indian consumers, which was made available for free in its first year.
Anthropic faces similar challenges; according to Appfigures, its Claude app achieved a 48% increase in downloads in India in September, totaling approximately 767,000. Consumer spending grew by an impressive 572%, reaching $195,000 for the month, though it still pales in comparison to the $2.5 million spent in the U.S. during the same timeframe.
High-Level Engagement and Strategic Partnerships
Anthropic has been proactive in engaging with Indian stakeholders. CEO Dario Amodei recently visited India, meeting influential business leaders and government officials, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi. These discussions focused on the company’s expansion plans and the increasing adoption of its tools. Previously, Anthropic explored a partnership with Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries but faced competition as Reliance opted for a collaboration with Google to provide free access to its Gemini AI Pro plan for Jio subscribers.
India’s telecom giants are becoming crucial distribution gatekeepers in the quest to scale consumer AI services. Concurrently, rival Bharti Airtel has partnered with Perplexity to offer premium subscription bundles, further highlighting the competitive landscape.
Focus on Enterprise-Grade AI
In a LinkedIn announcement, Ghose emphasized her commitment to working with Indian enterprises, startups, and developers to adopt Claude for “mission-critical” applications. She highlighted the rising demand for “high-trust, enterprise-grade AI,” reflecting Anthropic’s ambition to penetrate beyond early tech adopters and into larger institutions and public-sector organizations. Ghose also pointed out that AI designed for local languages could play a transformative role across sectors like education and healthcare.
The Current Landscape of India’s GenAI Ecosystem
The surge in interest from companies like Anthropic and OpenAI comes at a time when India’s homegrown Generative AI ecosystem is still in its infancy. Despite having a robust pool of software talent and a rapidly expanding base of AI users, the country has yet to produce a significant number of startups focused on developing large foundation models. Consequently, investors have largely favored application-layer companies over those requiring substantial capital to train comprehensive AI systems.
Upcoming Opportunities: AI Impact Summit 2026
The timing of Ghose’s appointment coincides with India’s AI Impact Summit 2026, scheduled for February. At this summit, the Indian government aims to unite AI startups, global CEOs, and industry experts to discuss future phases of AI deployment within the country. This event forms part of a broader initiative by New Delhi to bolster domestic AI development and position India prominently in the global AI arena as competition intensifies across markets.
Building the India Team
Anthropic is also in the process of expanding its local team, actively listing job vacancies for roles including startup and enterprise account executives, as well as a partner sales manager. This move underscores the company’s commitment to deepen its market penetration and attract Indian businesses as new customers.
Conclusion: Preparing for Long-term Success
With Ghose’s strategic appointment, Anthropic not only strengthens its leadership within India but also prepares to turn the surge in user engagement into a sustainable business model. The complexities of the Indian market—characterized by distribution alliances, pricing pressures, and the nuances of enterprise adoption—will significantly influence which AI companies solidify themselves as long-term leaders in this rapidly evolving landscape.
By aligning with local enterprises and pursuing innovative use cases, Anthropic aims to become a formidable player in India’s burgeoning AI ecosystem. As the competition increases and new partnerships emerge, companies like Anthropic are setting the stage for what promises to be a transformative era for AI in India.
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