Anthropic, the large language model development company, has recently announced substantial moves in India. For them, plans are underway to set up a new office in Bengaluru. This new effort is focused on developers and startups. By doing so, it enhances innovation and collaboration in the region’s booming AI space. Co-founder and CEO Dario Amodei is visiting India this week to oversee the establishment of this office and explore potential partnerships, particularly with billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries.
Amodei’s recent visit is a testament to just how important the Indian market will be for Anthropic. During his time in India, he will be joined by Guillaume Princen, Anthropic’s head for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), as well as Daniel Delaney, the company’s chief for startups. Together, they will engage with local stakeholders to better understand the needs of developers and startups in the AI sector.
Perhaps the most surprising aspect of this expansion has been Anthropic’s recent deal with Indian telecom operator Bharti Airtel. This partnership is the first step in ensuring more than 360 million Airtel customers have access to Anthropic’s Perplexity Pro subscription for one full year— and perhaps beyond. This decision, besides making powerful new AI tools more accessible, positions Anthropic well for future growth in the lucrative Indian market.
In just the month of September, Anthropic’s Claude app had some astonishing user growth numbers from India. The app experienced 48% growth in year-over-year downloads, having installed the app nearly 767k times this year. Separately, consumer spending on the Claude app jumped 572% YoY, bringing in $195k in revenue in September.
India has quickly become a the second-largest market for Anthropic. It is now responsible for the second-largest share of traffic to the Claude site, only behind its home—the United States. LinkedIn The social network has noted that India is one of the biggest drivers of its engagement. This geographical trend further highlights the increasing need for AI solutions in the area.
Amodei’s India itinerary includes high-level meetings, including those with Indian PM Narendra Modi. He will engage with key legislators and other senior U.S. government officials during his trip to New Delhi. This engagement will deepen Anthropic’s sustained commitment to develop robust relationships within the Indian political landscape.
Many Indian AI startups are already using Anthropic’s Claude models to power their products, which are used by customers both in India and the U.S. This partnership is a powerful example of how Anthropic’s technology can be used in practice. It proves its relevance to India’s thriving startup ecosystem.
To further support developers and startups, prominent venture funds like Accel and Lightspeed are hosting dedicated sessions with Anthropic executives. These sessions are designed to help distill and share what we’ve learned back to the local innovators. They’ll gain the expertise to leverage Claude to strengthen their own offerings, building community and driving innovation through technology.
Internationally, Anthropic’s Claude app has experienced similar growth. In September, downloads jumped 74% from August, hitting the benchmark of surpassing 1 million total downloads in a single month. During that same period, consumer spending exploded by 546%, driving an impressive $5.62 million in revenue. Interestingly, U.S. users spent more on the app than any other country, accounting for $2.5 million in this new revenue stream.
