India’s AI, robotics and deep-tech sectors gain a major new backer as Krafton commits $250 million to the market over the next three to four years, lifting its planned investment in the country to more than $500 million.
The pledge is distinct from a $670 million India-focused growth fund Krafton launched with Naver and Mirae Asset, for which Krafton said it contributed about $137 million at first close. The new commitment is a direct capital bet, aimed at pushing the company’s footprint beyond its gaming roots.
Krafton built its India presence around Battlegrounds Mobile India, a localized version of PUBG that has exceeded 260 million downloads, then broadened its involvement by investing in startups. The company says it has backed roughly 18 Indian firms, including Nodwin Gaming, Loco, Pratilipi, Kuku FM and One Impression, and four to five gaming studios.
The expansion follows a turbulent relationship with Indian regulators. PUBG Mobile was banned in 2020, and Krafton re-entered the market with BGMI in 2021, removing Tencent Games as the local publisher and moving India servers to Microsoft Azure. BGMI itself faced a ban in 2022 before returning on a three-month trial the following year. Krafton also plans to launch BGMI Lite in India by the end of 2026.
Krafton has been building local capabilities beyond investment. Last year it acquired Pune-based Nautilus Mobile, the studio behind the Real Cricket franchise, and it recently launched KIGI Academy, an industry-academia program to train talent in game development and digital creation. The new $250 million pledge followed a meeting between Krafton chairman Chang Byung-gyu and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, where the two discussed closer cooperation across gaming, technology and other emerging sectors.
The immediate next steps are unchanged by the announcement, Krafton says: deploy the new funds over three to four years while continuing to scale local operations, talent programs and product lines. The bet tests whether a gaming publisher can convert franchise success into sustained influence across India’s broader tech ecosystem.
