Krafton Commits Another $250 Million to India Technology Investments
South Korean gaming company Krafton plans to invest a further $250 million in India during the next three to four years, expanding its focus from games into artificial intelligence, robotics and deep technology. The commitment takes its total planned investment in the country to more than $500 million, including more than $250 million invested since 2021.
The new pledge is separate from the $670 million India-focused growth fund Krafton announced with Naver and Mirae Asset in December 2025. At that fund’s first close, Krafton said it would contribute about $137 million. Krafton confirmed that the additional $250 million does not form part of that vehicle.
Gaming remains the foundation
India has been central to Krafton’s regional strategy because of its scale: the country has more than one billion internet subscribers and over 700 million smartphone users. Its main gaming asset is Battlegrounds Mobile India, or BGMI, the localised version of PUBG. Krafton says BGMI has surpassed 260 million downloads.
The company’s path in the market has involved significant regulatory changes. India banned PUBG Mobile in 2020 among hundreds of Chinese-linked apps amid rising tensions between New Delhi and Beijing. Krafton subsequently introduced BGMI in 2021, ended Tencent Games’ role as publisher in India and moved Indian game servers to Microsoft Azure as it worked to address government concerns.
BGMI was banned in 2022 as well, before the federal government permitted its return on a three-month trial basis in 2023. Krafton has continued to develop the franchise following its return and plans to launch BGMI Lite in India by the end of 2026.
Broader portfolio and local operations
Krafton has invested in about 18 Indian companies so far, including four to five gaming studios. Its portfolio includes Nodwin Gaming, Loco, Pratilipi, Kuku FM and One Impression, showing that its activity already reaches digital media and creator-oriented businesses beyond its own game publishing.
The investment announcement followed a meeting in New Delhi between Krafton chairman Byung Gyu Chang and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Krafton said they discussed closer India–South Korea cooperation in gaming, technology and other emerging sectors.
Local capacity is also growing. Krafton acquired Pune-based Nautilus Mobile, the maker of the Real Cricket franchise, last year, and recently launched KIGI Academy, an industry-academia programme for game development and digital-creation talent. For businesses assessing India, Krafton’s experience underlines that durable market participation can require local infrastructure, locally managed products and investment beyond a single consumer service.