India is set to play host to a $300,000 CS:GO tournament later this year if a report from Sportskeeda.com is to be believed. 
A press release was sent out yesterday which detailed that Route Mobile Ltd founders Rajdip Gupta and Sandip Gupta are investing $10 million into esports. Mujahid (Mojo) Rupani will head up the new venture; COBX Gaming.
Rajdip Gupta, Co-Founder, COBX Gaming Ventures said: “As avid gamers ourselves we have always wanted to contribute to the growth of professional esports. Today, esports is at a stage where gamers can truly consider it as a viable career. We are glad to be able to invest and serve as a catalyst to the esports industry, especially in India.”
Part of this investment will go towards the creation of a national league, and the COBX Gaming event is part of a plan to develop the Indian esports scene and have a team capable of competing against the best in the world by 2018.
There will 16 teams in attendance at COBX Gaming, and two of these will be determined by this new national league. This will kick off in April and has reportedly in excess of $15,000 on offer. The other 14 slots will be filled by international teams on an invite only basis. Gupta added: “The domestic league will culminate in a LAN final, where we are planning on calling international teams. The LAN finals will have a prize pool of $300,000 – $500,000, which will send a signal to the foreign competitors of how serious we are with our involvement.”
This announcement follows a trend of major investments into esports in India. Indian mobile game publisher Nazara Games recently revealed its intentions to invest $20 million over the next five years to create a professional league in the country whilst celebrity and entrepreneur Ronnie Screwvala is doing the same with UCypher.
Esports Insider says: At this rate India is going to be overrun with well financed national leagues. With a league leading into an international tournament this one seems well placed to benefit Indian esports as a whole, but all of these stakeholders in the space must make sure they work together to ensure a feasible calendar of events for players and fans alike.