Krafton Plans Another $250M Investment in India

South Korean gaming giant Krafton is increasing its bet on India, but this time, the company is looking well beyond video games.

The company behind PUBG and Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) plans to invest another $250 million in India over the next three to four years, targeting areas such as artificial intelligence, robotics and deep technology.

The fresh commitment will push Krafton’s total planned investment in India to more than $500 million. That includes the more than $250 million the company says it has already invested in the country since 2021.

The new investment is separate from another major India-focused initiative. In December 2025, Krafton partnered with South Korean internet company Naver and investor Mirae Asset on a $670 million growth fund focused on India. Krafton said at the time that it would contribute about $137 million at the fund’s first close. The company has confirmed that the latest $250 million commitment is independent of that fund.

From BGMI to AI and Deep Tech

India has become an increasingly important market for Krafton. The country offers access to more than 1 billion internet subscribers and over 700 million smartphone users, giving the company a large consumer and technology ecosystem to work with.

Krafton initially established its presence in India through gaming, with BGMI at the center of its strategy. The localized version of PUBG has now crossed 260 million downloads.

But Krafton has gradually expanded its focus by investing in Indian startups. Its portfolio so far includes around 18 companies, with roughly four to five of those being gaming studios. Among the companies it has backed are Nodwin Gaming, Loco, Pratilipi, Kuku FM and One Impression.

A Complicated History With India

Krafton’s India journey has also faced significant challenges.

In 2020, the Indian government banned PUBG Mobile along with hundreds of other apps linked to China amid rising tensions between India and China. Krafton responded by launching BGMI in India in 2021.

As part of its efforts to address regulatory concerns, Krafton removed Tencent Games as BGMI’s publisher in India and shifted the game’s India servers to Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform.

BGMI later faced another setback when it was banned in 2022. The government eventually allowed the game to return the following year on a three-month trial basis.

Since then, Krafton has continued building its India business around the franchise. The company also plans to launch BGMI Lite in India by the end of 2026.

Strengthening Its Local Presence

Krafton is also investing directly in India’s gaming ecosystem. Last year, the company acquired Pune-based Nautilus Mobile, the studio behind the Real Cricket franchise.

More recently, it launched KIGI Academy, an industry-academia initiative designed to train people in game development and digital creation.

The latest investment announcement followed a meeting between Krafton chairman Byung Gyu Chang and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Friday. According to Krafton, the two discussed opportunities for India and South Korea to deepen cooperation in gaming, technology and other emerging industries.

With its latest $250 million commitment, Krafton appears to be positioning India as more than just a gaming market. The company is now looking to build a broader presence across AI, robotics, deep tech and India’s growing startup ecosystem.

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