Anthropic CEO and co-founder Dario Amodei is in India this week to deepen ties with government and industry leaders. The AI startup has announced plans to open a new office in Bengaluru by early 2026, marking its second Asia-Pacific hub and a major step in expanding Claude’s footprint in India.
Anthropic, the AI research company behind Claude, is making a strategic push into India with a high-profile visit and a new office announcement. CEO Dario Amodei’s trip underscores the company’s commitment to India’s rapidly growing AI ecosystem and its ambition to scale responsibly across global markets.
Here are the key developments:
- Dario Amodei’s India visit
The CEO is meeting with senior government officials, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and enterprise leaders in Mumbai, New Delhi, and Bengaluru. The goal: to forge partnerships and align on responsible AI deployment across sectors.
- Bengaluru office to open in early 2026
Anthropic will establish its second Asia-Pacific office in Bengaluru, following Tokyo. The new hub will support India’s startup ecosystem and serve as a base for deploying Claude across industries like education, healthcare, and agriculture.
- Strategic partnership talks with Reliance Industries
Amodei is reportedly exploring a collaboration with Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries to expand Claude’s reach in India. Discussions have been ongoing, with potential integration into Reliance’s AI infrastructure initiatives.
- India’s rising Claude usage
According to Anthropic’s Economic Index Report, India ranks second globally in Claude usage, with strong demand for technical tasks like mobile UI development and web debugging. Consumer spending on Claude has surged 572% year-over-year.
- Focus on social impact and governance
Amodei emphasized India’s alignment with Anthropic’s mission: deploying AI across diverse languages and contexts, and building frameworks for responsible governance. The company aims to support inclusive growth through AI.
- Competitive landscape
Anthropic’s expansion comes as OpenAI ramps up its presence in India, creating a dynamic environment for AI innovation. Anthropic’s emphasis on safety and reliability positions Claude as a trusted tool for enterprise-scale operations.
This expansion marks a pivotal moment for Anthropic and India’s AI journey. With strong local engagement and a new Bengaluru base, the company is poised to play a central role in shaping AI’s future in the region.