OpenAI plans 1 gigawatt data center in India as part of $500B Stargate expansion

OpenAI is planning to construct a massive data center in India with at least 1 gigawatt of capacity, according to local press reports citing people familiar with the matter. The facility would rank among India’s largest data centers and represents part of OpenAI’s ambitious $500 billion Stargate infrastructure expansion, which already includes major projects in the United States, Norway, and Abu Dhabi.

What you should know: OpenAI is actively seeking local partnerships to establish the gigawatt-scale facility in the world’s most populous nation.

• The company is in discussions with potential Indian partners, though the specific location and construction timeline remain uncertain.
• CEO Sam Altman may reveal more details during an upcoming trip to India this month, according to sources.
• If realized, the site would join recent major data center investments in India by Microsoft, Google, and Reliance Industries.

The big picture: The India project extends OpenAI’s global Stargate initiative, which aims to build a network of AI data centers to meet growing demand across sectors including scientific research, healthcare, automation, defense, and finance.

• In the United States, OpenAI is collaborating with SoftBank and Oracle on Stargate facilities targeting 4.5 gigawatts of capacity.
• The overall Stargate initiative carries an estimated long-term cost of $500 billion, with $100 billion already allocated for early phases.
• President Donald Trump unveiled the U.S. portion of the initiative in January.

OpenAI for Countries program: The India facility would operate under OpenAI’s formalized infrastructure partnership initiative with national governments.

• The program offers countries help building local AI data center capacity in coordination with the U.S. administration.
• These secure facilities are designed to support data sovereignty, build new local industries, and enable private, compliant AI customization using local data.

International expansion: OpenAI has already announced similar projects in Europe and the Middle East through its global strategy.

• Stargate Norway: The company’s first European AI data center will be located in Narvik, chosen for its renewable hydropower resources, low energy costs, and industrial base.
• The Norway facility will deliver 230MW of compute capacity initially, with expansion plans for up to 520MW total.
• The project aims to deploy 100,000 Nvidia GPUs by end-2026 using closed-loop, direct-to-chip liquid cooling.
• Abu Dhabi plans: OpenAI has also announced development of an AI facility in the United Arab Emirates.

Why this matters: The aggressive global expansion reflects OpenAI’s strategy to establish AI infrastructure sovereignty while meeting surging demand for compute capacity worldwide.

• The initiative positions OpenAI as a key player in the race to build the foundational infrastructure needed for next-generation AI applications.
• By partnering with governments, OpenAI can address data sovereignty concerns while expanding its global footprint in strategic markets.