Argentina's Julio Zapata and England's Mark Foster recorded five under par rounds of 67 to share the clubhouse lead at the Avantha Masters.
Challenge Tour graduate Zapata is seeking a first top-ten finish on The European Tour, and the 34 year old made a positive start at DLF Golf and Country Club after fog delayed the tournament start by three-and-a-half hours.
Foster has not won on The European Tour since 2003 but the 35 year old holed a 20 foot birdie putt on the eighth - his penultimate hole - to take a share of the lead.
Also five under par were Dutchman Robert-Jan Derksen and Fabrizio Zanotti of Paraguay, with three and four holes remaining respectively.
Zanotti curled in a 30 footer on his back nine to briefly take the lead at six under but missed an eight foot par putt at the next.
Derksen's compatriot Maarten Lafeber, who like Foster recorded his only European Tour title eight years ago, had a hole in one at the par three 11th to follow four birdies on his front nine, but three bogeys in his last seven holes saw him sign for a three under 69 - although he did win a Volvo XC 60 for his ace.
Leading the chase on four under were Thailand's Chapchai Nirat, Austrian Bernd Wiesberger and India's Rashid Khan.
