In August 2025, OpenAI launched ChatGPT Go, a low-cost subscription plan, in India. Priced at ₹399 a month (SGD5.80), this marks the latest move by OpenAI in expanding one of its largest user markets.
An Affordable Alternative
ChatGPT Go is positioned as a low-cost alternative to OpenAI’s ChatGPT Plus and ChatGPT Pro subscriptions. It builds upon the free tier by offering higher usage limits and expanded functionality. These include:
- Extended access to GPT-5: Increased usage cap for OpenAI’s flagship model
- Extended access to ChatGPT features: Increased allowances for image generation, file uploads, and advanced data analysis such as Python-based exploration.
- Access to tools: Projects, tasks, and Custom GPTs
- Memory improvements: A longer context window for more personalised responses
However, unlike higher-tier subscriptions, ChatGPT Go does not include access to legacy models, connectors, or Sora video generation. These remain features of the Plus or Pro plans.
Why India?
India has become OpenAI’s second largest market in terms of users. In his visit to the country to meet India’s Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman praised the country’s rapid AI adoption and discussed its ambition to build a low-cost AI ecosystem with policymakers.
Meanwhile, competition in India’s AI market is intensifying. Perplexity recently partnered with Bharti Airtel to provide free AI subscriptions to its telecommunications customers, while Google offered one-year free access to its Gemini-powered AI services for students.
Against this backdrop, launching ChatGPT Go in India is part of OpenAI’s strategy to establish itself in a high-demand but price-sensitive market.
Looking Ahead
As AI providers experiment with more affordable pricing models, the barriers to entry for AI access have also been lowered in emerging markets where affordability has historically been a limiting factor.
With AI poised to become more widely adopted, the influence of AI will likely become more pronounced, impacting various aspects of daily life from the workplace to consumer behaviours.
