Google tests direct Flipkart purchases inside Gemini and AI Mode in India

Google has started an experiment that lets users in India buy Flipkart products directly inside the Gemini and AI Mode interfaces — no redirect to a third-party site. A "Buy" button now sits on select product listings. Tapping it opens a Flipkart-branded checkout flow that lives entirely within the AI experience.

The test is narrow: a small user cohort, a handful of categories — smartphones, electronics, mobile accessories. Google plans to widen it later in October, ahead of India's festive season when online sales peak.

Earlier this year Google unveiled the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), an open standard meant to let AI agents talk to retailers across the entire shopping journey, including payment. At the time the company said UCP would enable purchases through Gemini and AI Mode via a Google-hosted checkout. The Flipkart trial looks different. It surfaces the retailer's own payment flow, and it's unclear what technology is actually driving it. A Google spokesperson said the company is "always testing new features and experiences to help people discover and connect with businesses more easily," and added there were no further details to share.

Google has a direct financial stake in Flipkart. In 2024 it put roughly $350 million into the Indian company as part of a Walmart-led funding round, taking a minority position. This month Google confirmed Flipkart is among the partners bringing "agentic" shopping experiences to Indian consumers, but disclosed neither the trial's mechanics nor its timeline. India is the world's second-largest internet market, with more than a billion subscribers. Flipkart and Amazon fight for every rupee there, and the battle sharpens dramatically during the festive window.

In the experiment spotted by TechCrunch, Amazon listings appeared alongside Flipkart's in the AI results — but without a direct-purchase option. That gives Flipkart an early-mover advantage in the new AI channel, at least until Google extends the capability to more retailers. Flipkart did not respond to a request for comment.

The move fits a broader pattern: Google and rivals such as OpenAI are bolting commerce onto their AI products, trying to graduate from discovery and recommendation to an active role in the transaction itself. If the trial succeeds and scales, it could reshape how users engage with LLM-driven search results — turning the chatbot into a point of sale.