OpenAI has named former Uber India and South Asia president Prabhjeet Singh as its first managing director for India, signaling a deeper push into one of its most important markets outside the United States.
Starting in September, Singh will report to Kiran Mani, OpenAI's managing director for Asia-Pacific. In his new role, he will oversee consumer growth, enterprise adoption, partnerships, regulatory engagement, and day-to-day operations in India.
India at the center of OpenAI's expansion
The appointment comes as OpenAI continues to build a stronger local footprint. The company opened its first office in New Delhi last year and has since announced plans for offices in Mumbai and Bengaluru. It has also added leaders focused on public policy, strategy, and global affairs to support its regional growth.
OpenAI has been broadening its India strategy through partnerships in higher education, enterprise payments, AI-driven commerce, and streaming. It is also aligning with the country's expanding data-center ecosystem, while highlighting the rapid rise in ChatGPT adoption across India.
At the same time, the company is hiring for roles including AI deployment engineers, developer experience specialists, a developer marketing lead, a partner director, and solutions engineers. The move reflects how India is becoming a major hub for AI talent, product adoption, and ecosystem building.
With a large developer base, a massive internet population, and fast-growing interest in generative AI, India is emerging as a defining market for global AI companies. OpenAI's latest leadership move suggests the next phase will be shaped by local partnerships, infrastructure, and long-term innovation. The development may help set the pace for how AI platforms scale across high-growth markets worldwide.