Google took one of the most significant steps in its global AI strategy on July 8, 2025, by officially launching its new AI Mode search experience (also known as AI Overviews) in India. This launch, confirmed on the official Google blog and covered by both local authoritative media (The Times of India) and international outlets (Search Engine Land), brings generative search technology to one of the largest and fastest-growing internet markets in the world. The rollout in India is more than just an interface translation. It required significant localization efforts from Google, including full support for several major Indian languages such as Hindi, Bengali, Marathi, and Tamil. The AI models were reportedly fine-tuned to better understand cultural, geographical, and social contexts to provide the most relevant and accurate answers for Indian users. Millions of users in India will now see AI-generated answers at the top of their search results for many of their queries. This fundamentally changes the user experience and, consequently, the entire digital landscape of the country. For the Indian SEO market and digital publishers, this launch presents a major challenge and cause for concern. As in other countries where AI Mode has already launched, there is a sharp debate about the potential for a significant reduction in website traffic, as Google now directly answers many user questions, reducing the need to click on links.
Google Launches AI Mode Search in India with Local Language Support
