Anupam Mittal: India isn’t a cheaper America, but a far more demanding market

Anupam Mittal, founder of Shaadi.com and a judge on Shark Tank India, recently asserted that India is "where pricing strategies come to die" in a LinkedIn post. Global tech companies often attempt to enter the Indian market by simply translating their U.S. prices into Indian rupees, but they quickly discover that Indian consumers behave differently.

Mittal recalled his experience building Shaadi.com and shared that Indian customers only pay when the outcome of a purchase is significant enough to them. This unique consumer behavior is now challenging AI companies as they roll out India-specific plans, forcing them to rethink value delivery.

Mittal emphasized that India is not a "cheaper version of America," but rather a far more demanding market. He noted that Indian customers can easily spot when a company is being dishonest, stating that if an AI product proves useful, affordable, and habit-forming in India, it will ultimately become a better product worldwide. Mittal highlighted that India has already transformed industries like telecom, payments, and entertainment by demanding better value and innovation, and now it is AI's turn to face the same test.

He concluded by stating that if an AI product can become successful in India, it will undoubtedly become a better product everywhere.