Anthropic, the artificial intelligence startup behind Claude, has made a significant move in India. The company has hired Irina Ghose, a former managing director at Microsoft India, to lead its operations in the country. This appointment comes as Anthropic prepares to establish its first office in India.
Irina Ghose Brings Deep Tech Experience
Ghose brings extensive experience to her new role. She worked at Microsoft India for twenty-four years before stepping down in December 2025. Her deep background in big-tech operations makes her a suitable choice as Anthropic's managing director for India.
The tech industry executive confirmed her new position in a LinkedIn post last week. She expressed excitement about connecting with leaders and innovators across India.
Ghose's Vision for AI in India
"From digital natives and software firms to large enterprises and public-sector institutions, India is entering a phase of scaled deployment that will enhance competitive advantage and shape the future," Ghose said. She emphasized that AI tuned to local languages will act as a force multiplier across society.
"AI will impact education, healthcare, workforce development, and job skills," she added. "I'm excited to connect with leaders, innovators and builders across India as we realize the full potential of Claude and unlock new possibilities together."
Anthropic's Strategic Expansion in India
Chris Ciauri, Managing Director of International at Anthropic, commented on the appointment. "Irina's expertise in scaling technology businesses and driving enterprise transformation makes her the ideal leader as we expand," he said. "As we grow our teams and deepen engagement across India's public and private sectors, Irina will ensure our approach is grounded in local insight and aligned with our mission."
Anthropic is actively expanding its India team. The Claude maker has posted job listings for various roles, including startup and enterprise account executives and a partner sales manager, according to a TechCrunch report.
India as a Key Growth Market
This move highlights India's rapid emergence as a crucial growth market for AI giants like Anthropic and OpenAI. These companies are looking to expand their user base beyond the United States.
India currently stands as the second-largest market for Anthropic's AI chatbot, Claude. Usage in the country primarily focuses on technical applications such as programming. India boasts more than a billion internet subscribers and over seven hundred million smartphone users.
Timing and Market Performance
Ghose's appointment comes ahead of the India-AI Impact Summit 2026. This major event is scheduled for New Delhi from February 15 to 20. Considered the first significant AI-related gathering in the Global South, the Summit will bring together heads of government, policymakers, AI startups, global CEOs, and industry experts to discuss AI governance.
In October last year, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei visited India. He met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Indian lawmakers, and corporate leaders. The discussions reportedly focused on the company's expansion plans and the growing adoption of its tools in the country.
Market data shows strong growth for Anthropic in India. The Claude AI chatbot app recorded a forty-eight percent increase in downloads from the previous year as of September 2025, according to Appfigures. The app saw a total of seven hundred sixty-seven thousand installations that month. Consumer spending surged by seventy-two percent to one hundred ninety-five thousand dollars.
Anthropic's expansion in India signals a strategic push into one of the world's largest and fastest-growing tech markets. With Irina Ghose at the helm, the company aims to leverage local insights and drive enterprise transformation across the country.
