The Proteas won the toss with Aiden Markram deciding to put India in to bat on a pitch that looked like it would favour shot making and big scores.
With India heading into winter, dew was always going to make it difficult to bowl in the second innings.
India got off to a brisk start with 25 runs in the first three overs before Yashav Jaiswal was caught behind by Nuandre Burger for 18 off 16 balls.
That set up an epic 136-run partnership between Rohit Sharma (57 off 51 balls) and Virat Kohli (135 off 120 balls) to put the home side into a very commanding position.
KL Rahul chipped in with a well-played 60 off 56 balls with Ravindra Jadeja blasting 32 off 20 balls as India set a mammoth total of 349/8 off their 50 overs.
All of the Proteas bowlers took some tap and no one managed an economy rate lower than six runs per over.
Marco Jansen, Burger, Corbin Bosh and Ottneill Baartman picked up two wickets each, with only Prenelan Subrayen the only bowler not to take a wicket.
South Africa's innings could not have got off to a worse start with Ryan Rickelton falling for a first-ball duck in the second over before Quinton de Kock was also dismissed for nothing off just two balls.
However, hope began to build for the visitors after Matthew Breetzke and Tony de Zorzi put on 66 66-run partnership for the fourth wicket.
After De Zorzi fell for 39 off 35 balls, Breetzke and Dewald Brevis put on another 53 before the latter fell for a brisk 37 off 28 balls.
Jansen then came in and began wielding the willow, smashing the ball to all areas of the park and made a brilliant 70 off 39 balls before holing out out on the boundary. Breetzke fell on 72 two balls later as the Proteas' hopes began to dim once again.
Corbin Bosch held things together with the tail to keep South Africa in the game all the way to the last over but India's total proved a step too far as he was out caught for 67 off 51 balls with South Africa 332 all out.
It was a dramatic chase with several twists and turns but the Proteas ultimately fell 17 runs short as India claimed victory in the first of three ODIs between the two nations.
Tristan Stubbs says he is excited to have an opportunity to play and work on one format of the game as he eyes hitting prime form for the Proteas at the T20 World Cup early next year.
Leinster senior coach Jacques Nienaber has hit back at suggestions he could leave the Irish giants after saying he missed coaching the Springboks.
India will be hoping the added experience Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma can give them a boost ahead of the three-match ODI series against the Proteas that starts in Ranchi on Sunday.
Virat Kohli says he was never big believer in a lot of preparation, but would rather opt to make sure he is physically in the best shape, after scoring a century in the first ODI against the Proteas.
