Google Tests Direct Flipkart Purchases Through Gemini and AI Mode in India
Google’s India test lets select users complete Flipkart purchases inside Gemini and AI Mode via a “Buy” button, without visiting the retailer’s site. The limited rollout covers smartphones and electronics, with broader expansion planned for late October 2026.
Google began testing a feature in September 2026 that allows shoppers in India to buy products from Walmart-owned Flipkart directly within its Gemini assistant and AI Mode search experience, bypassing the need to navigate to a separate retailer site.
Users included in the test see a “Buy” button on select Flipkart product listings surfaced inside Gemini and AI Mode. Tapping the button opens a Flipkart-branded checkout flow without leaving the AI interface. The test is currently limited to a small group of users and a narrow range of products, including smartphones, electronics, and mobile accessories. Google plans to expand the experience more broadly later in October 2026, ahead of India’s festive shopping season.
The key players in the test are Google, Flipkart, and Walmart, which owns Flipkart. Google also holds a financial stake in Flipkart, having invested approximately $350 million in the e-commerce company in 2024 as part of a funding round led by Walmart. Earlier this month, Google had named Flipkart as a merchant partner for “agentic” shopping experiences in India, though it had not disclosed specifics of the test or its timeline.
The move reflects a broader push by Google and competitors, including OpenAI, to extend AI services beyond product discovery and recommendations into completing actual purchases. Google has separately developed the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), an open standard designed to let AI agents interact with retailers throughout the shopping process, including checkout.
The Flipkart test appears distinct from the Google-hosted checkout experience demonstrated earlier this year; it uses a Flipkart-branded checkout flow rather than a Google-hosted one. Listings from rival retailers, including Amazon, appeared in the same AI interface during the test but did not offer a direct purchase option.
India is the world’s second-largest internet market with more than a billion internet subscribers, and Flipkart and Amazon compete intensely for online shoppers — particularly during the festive season. A Google spokesperson said the company is “always testing new features and experiences to help people discover and connect with businesses more easily,” but offered no further details.