Google Tests Flipkart Product Purchases via Gemini in India

Key Takeaways

1Google is testing direct purchases of Flipkart products via Gemini and AI mode in India

2The trial is limited to a few users and products, with payments managed by Flipkart

3The setup differs from the Google-hosted payment planned with UCP

4Google holds a minority stake in Flipkart

Why it matters : This test marks a step in integrating online commerce with AI assistants in a highly competitive Indian market.

Google is testing a direct purchase option for Flipkart products through Gemini and AI mode in India. This test, distinct from its UCP payment system, remains limited and could expand in October, amid Google's $350 million investment in Flipkart.

Limited Option and Capital Link with Flipkart

Google holds a minority stake in Flipkart after investing approximately $350 million in 2024 during a round led by an American retailer. At this stage, the purchase button is not available for all merchants displayed by Google's AI services. Competitor listings, including Amazon, appear alongside Flipkart products but without direct purchase options through the AI interface. Flipkart did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The exact technology used for this test is not known.

What Testers See in Gemini and AI Mode

Users included in the trial see a "Buy" button on certain Flipkart listings within Gemini and AI mode. Pressing this button opens a payment process operated by Flipkart without leaving the AI interface. The test remains limited to a small number of people and a reduced selection of products, primarily smartphones, electronic devices, and mobile accessories. For other users, only listings without direct purchase options continue to be accessible.

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A Different Operation from Google’s UCP Payment

Google unveiled the Universal Commerce Protocol earlier this year, presented as an open standard designed to allow AI agents to interact with merchants throughout the purchasing process, including during checkout. The company clarified that this solution would enable the acquisition of eligible products via Gemini and AI mode using a payment hosted by Google, and subsequently expanded this feature to allow the transfer of items to a merchant's platform to complete the purchase. The current test with Flipkart differs from this approach, as it triggers a Flipkart-branded payment. Google also indicated this month that Flipkart is among the partner merchants to offer so-called "agentic" shopping experiences, without specifying the details or timeline.

Target Timeline and Competitive Context in India

An expansion of the experience is planned for later in October, ahead of the festive shopping season in India. At the same time, other players, including OpenAI, are integrating commercial functions into their AI systems. In India, the second-largest internet market in the world with over a billion subscribers, Flipkart, owned by Walmart, and Amazon are competing for buyers, a rivalry that intensifies during major promotional periods. Google confirms that it regularly tests new features and experiences to connect users with businesses and states that it has no additional information to provide at this time.