Google Tests Flipkart Shopping via Gemini and AI Mode in India

Google Brings Flipkart Purchases to Gemini and AI Mode

Google has started testing a way for shoppers in India to buy products from Walmart-owned Flipkart directly through Gemini and AI Mode, as the search giant looks to expand its AI services from product discovery into transactions. In practice, that means the company is trying to turn its AI assistants from tools that merely help people research what to buy into places where the purchase itself can be completed. Flipkart is a major Indian e-commerce marketplace owned by Walmart, and Gemini is Google’s AI assistant, while AI Mode refers to the AI-powered experience inside Google’s search products.

According to people familiar with the matter and an experience seen by TechCrunch, users in the test see a “Buy” button on select Flipkart product listings appearing in Gemini and Google’s AI Mode. That button takes them directly to a Flipkart checkout flow without leaving the AI interface. The move marks a shift for Google’s AI offerings in India, moving them beyond helping users find products and into letting them complete purchases. The report was published by Jagmeet Singh.

How the Buy Button Works

Users included in the test see a “Buy” button on select Flipkart product listings that appear in Gemini and Google’s AI Mode. The button is designed to take shoppers directly to a Flipkart checkout flow without leaving the AI interface, according to people familiar with the matter and an experience seen by TechCrunch.

That means the purchase journey begins inside the AI experience rather than requiring users to navigate away to Flipkart’s own app or website first. The checkout itself is handled through Flipkart’s flow. In practical terms, a shopper who spots a product while using Gemini or AI Mode can move straight into the buying process from that same screen, rather than switching to a separate Flipkart app or site to complete the order.

Not every user sees the same experience. Those not in the test continue to see regular product listings from Flipkart in Gemini and AI Mode, but without the option to buy them directly from the AI interface. The test reflects Google’s effort to expand its AI services from product discovery into transactions, starting with shoppers in India.

Limited Test Scope and Eligible Products

The early test is limited to some users and a small selection of products, including smartphones, electronics, and mobile accessories, the people told TechCrunch. That means the Buy button is not appearing on every Flipkart listing, and not every shopper in India will encounter it. Instead, the experiment is being kept narrow, covering only certain product categories and a subset of users, while everyone else sees the same listings they did before, just without the ability to purchase directly from the AI interface. Other users continue to see regular product listings from Flipkart in Gemini and AI Mode without the option to buy them directly from the AI interface.

Broader Rollout Planned for October

The current test is only a first step. According to one of the people familiar with the matter, Google plans to roll out the experience more broadly later in October, ahead of India’s festive shopping season. That timing is significant: the festive shopping season is one of the biggest retail periods in India, and a wider launch would put the Buy button in front of far more shoppers than the limited test group seeing it today. For Google, moving before that peak period would mean its AI services are handling transactions at the moment when consumer spending is at its highest.

For now, though, the company is keeping the experiment small. The early test remains limited to some users and a small selection of products, including smartphones, electronics, and mobile accessories. Other users continue to see regular product listings from Flipkart in Gemini and AI Mode without the option to buy them directly from the AI interface.

The broader October rollout would mark a notable expansion of Google’s push to move its AI services beyond product discovery and into transactions, following the initial test with Walmart-owned Flipkart. For shoppers in India who are part of the test, the next step is simply to look for the “Buy” button on eligible Flipkart listings in Gemini and AI Mode and use it to move straight into Flipkart’s checkout flow. Everyone else will keep seeing the standard listings until the experience reaches them.