OpenAI could soon anchor its $500 billion Stargate project in India.
The AI giant is in early talks with Reliance Industries and other data center operators to explore a massive build-out in Gujarat, sources say.
If the deal moves forward, India may become a critical hub for one of the most ambitious AI infrastructure projects ever announced.
Key Takeaways
- OpenAI discussing $500B Stargate with Reliance and Indian data center firms
- Reliance’s Jamnagar facility seen as anchor site for massive AI hub
- Project could need 1 GW of energy, signaling scale rarely seen in India
- Indian government urging OpenAI to invest billions locally
- Stargate backed by OracleAI, SoftBank; criticized by Elon Musk
OpenAI is in early talks with Reliance Industries to bring its $500 billion Stargate project to India, according to reports. The project, requiring at least 1 GW of power, could anchor at Reliance’s Jamnagar data center. The Indian government has asked OpenAI to commit billions locally if the deal advances.
OpenAI is in talks with Reliance Industries to bring Stargate to India: Reporthttps://t.co/BT5Vcu3E0o
— Hindustan Times (@htTweets) September 9, 2025
Altman’s Stargate Eyes Indian Shores
OpenAI, led by CEO Sam Altman, is exploring India as a potential hub for its $500 billion Stargate project. According to reports, the AI firm has held discussions with Reliance Industries for over six months, focusing on Reliance’s sprawling data center in Jamnagar, Gujarat.
The Jamnagar facility, once operational, is expected to be among the largest in Asia and could serve as a cornerstone for Stargate’s heavy compute requirements. The project is projected to consume at least one gigawatt of energy, levels typically associated with industrial-scale manufacturing, not data processing.
Other Players in the Mix
OpenAI is also in preliminary conversations with several other Indian firms, including Sify Technologies, Yotta Data Services, CtrlS Datacenters, and E2E Networks. These companies already run hyperscale data operations and could supplement Reliance’s buildout.
The Indian government has reportedly urged Altman’s team to ensure that “a few billion dollars” from the Stargate budget be directly invested in India. Such a move would not only boost infrastructure but also help position India as a global AI superpower.
The Politics Behind Stargate
The Stargate initiative was first unveiled in January 2025 by former U.S. President Donald Trump, who pitched it as a $500 billion moonshot to keep American AI leadership secure. The project is jointly backed by OracleAI, SoftBank, and OpenAI, but has drawn criticism from Elon Musk, who called it “reckless centralization of AI compute.”
For India, however, the deal would mark an unprecedented opportunity: becoming one of the first countries outside the U.S. to host a core piece of Stargate infrastructure.
Why It Matters
India has rapidly emerged as a crucial market for AI, cloud, and data services. With OpenAI already setting up a local office in Delhi earlier this year, a Stargate tie-up could accelerate domestic AI development while bringing billions in investment.
Reliance, led by billionaire Mukesh Ambani, is already betting big on digital infrastructure and renewable energy — two ingredients essential for a project of Stargate’s scale.
What Happens Next
Talks remain at an exploratory stage, with no final agreement announced. But if Altman and Ambani align, Stargate’s entry into India could reshape the global AI data center map. The next few months will determine whether this ambitious project takes root in Jamnagar or shifts elsewhere in Asia.
Conclusion
India may soon host part of OpenAI’s $500 billion Stargate project. If realized, it would mark one of the largest foreign tech infrastructure investments in the country’s history — and a turning point in how the world’s biggest AI projects scale beyond U.S. borders.