# Selling call centre data to AI companies in India

> Can a call centre in India sell its data to AI companies? Which buyers accept you, published payouts in INR, and the rules that apply.

Canonical: https://origindatapartners.com/sell-company-data/india/call-centers
By: Origin Data Partners
Published: 2026-10-26
Sources checked: 2026-10-26

## Quick answer

Yes. AI companies buy records from call centres, and micro1, Mercor and Handshake AI accept companies in India. Published payouts for this kind of company run ₹19 lakh to ₹2.4 crore ($20K to $250K), from Mercor's call center and BPO listing. The Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023 governs recordings, and recordings made for overseas clients usually belong to those clients.

## Key facts

- Published payout: ₹19 lakh to ₹2.4 crore ($20K to $250K)
- Buyers that accept you: 4 (micro1, Mercor, Handshake AI and Turing)
- Privacy law: DPDP Act 2023 (Plus the industry rules below)
- US tax withheld: 15% (With a W-8BEN-E)

## What call centre records AI buyers want

India's BPO sector holds vast English recordings, but most belong to overseas clients; scripts and QA rubrics you wrote are yours.

Mercor runs a call center and BPO listing; micro1 lists BPOs as a fit.

| Record | Why buyers want it |
| --- | --- |
| Recorded customer calls | Real conversations are the scarcest input for voice and support AI. |
| Chat and email transcripts | Show how agents resolve issues end to end. |
| QA scorecards and coaching notes | Encode what a good resolution looks like. |
| Scripts, knowledge bases and training material | Your own material, so the easiest to license. |


## Which AI data buyers accept Indian call centres

English-language records and large service industries make India one of the stronger markets outside the West.

| Buyer | Fit for India | What to know |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [micro1](https://origindatapartners.com/guides/micro1-company-data-partnerships) | Partial fit | Closed companies with 50+ peak staff; operating companies considered case by case; lists BPOs as a fit |
| [Mercor](https://origindatapartners.com/guides/mercor-data-monetization-program) | Strong fit | 50 to 5,000 agents; recorded conversations, ideally multilingual: $20K to $250K published |
| [Handshake AI](https://origindatapartners.com/guides/handshake-ai-data-partnerships) | Possible | No call center category; professional services is closest; 20+ staff and 3+ years; accepts companies outside the US |
| [Turing](https://origindatapartners.com/guides/turing-project-lazarus) | Possible | Full operating records up to $1M; strongest demand in the US, UK, Canada and EU |


## Published payouts in INR

Mercor's call center and BPO listing is the closest published figure for call centres, converted to INR. Larger programs pay more for long, linked histories.

| Published figure | USD | INR |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mercor, call center and BPO listing | $20K to $250K | ₹19 lakh to ₹2.4 crore |
| micro1, large-scale datasets | $500K to $2M | ₹4.7 crore to ₹19 crore |
| Handshake AI, advertised range | $100K to $4M+ | ₹95 lakh to ₹38 crore+ |


## Indian rules for call centres

The Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023 governs recordings, and recordings made for overseas clients usually belong to those clients.

Any personal data left in the records falls under Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023; the [Indian privacy steps](https://origindatapartners.com/sell-company-data/india#rules) apply to every industry. Before anything leaves, exclude:

- Payment card numbers and caller identity details.
- Recordings owned by your clients under service contracts.
- Agent HR and performance records.

Source: [MeitY: Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023](https://www.meity.gov.in/data-protection-framework)

## Can a call center sell recordings it made for clients?

Usually not without the client's written consent, because outsourcing contracts normally give the client ownership of recordings and transcripts. Scripts, QA rubrics, coaching notes and training material you created are yours to license.

Our guide covers this in depth: [Can a company sell customer call recordings for AI training?](https://origindatapartners.com/guides/sell-call-recordings-ai-training).


## US tax on the license fee

For India: 15% with a treaty form (W-8BEN-E), creditable at home.

Source: [IRS: Tax treaty tables](https://www.irs.gov/individuals/international-taxpayers/tax-treaty-tables)

## Questions and answers

### Do AI companies buy call centre data in India?

Yes. micro1, Mercor, Handshake AI and Turing accept companies in India. India's BPO sector holds vast English recordings, but most belong to overseas clients; scripts and QA rubrics you wrote are yours.

### How much do AI companies pay for call centre data?

Published payouts for this kind of company run ₹19 lakh to ₹2.4 crore ($20K to $250K), from Mercor's call center and BPO listing, with larger tiers for big or unique datasets. Actual offers depend on your records and rights.

### Is it legal for a call centre in India to sell company data?

The Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023 governs recordings, and recordings made for overseas clients usually belong to those clients.

### Can a call center sell recordings it made for clients?

Usually not without the client's written consent, because outsourcing contracts normally give the client ownership of recordings and transcripts. Scripts, QA rubrics, coaching notes and training material you created are yours to license.

## Sources

- [micro1: Data partnerships](https://www.micro1.ai/data-partnerships)
- [Mercor: Monetize your data](https://www.mercor.com/data/)
- [Handshake AI: Data partnerships](https://joinhandshake.com/ai/data-partnerships/)
- [MeitY: Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023](https://www.meity.gov.in/data-protection-framework)
- [IRS: Tax treaty tables](https://www.irs.gov/individuals/international-taxpayers/tax-treaty-tables)
- [European Central Bank: euro reference rates](https://www.ecb.europa.eu/stats/policy_and_exchange_rates/euro_reference_exchange_rates/html/index.en.html)