New Delhi: The India AI Impact Summit in India this week is a hotbed for new announcements, and Google has certainly joined the conversation. Today, February 18, Google unveiled a range of new partnerships and programs, all aimed at accelerating AI progress globally, with a special focus on India.
The tech giant’s initiatives touch upon crucial areas like infrastructure, connectivity, government empowerment, scientific advancement, and skill development. It is clear Google believes in the power of AI to solve real-world problems and wants to ensure these tools are accessible to everyone, everywhere.
As leaders gather this week for the AI Impact Summit in India, we’re announcing new partnerships and programs to accelerate progress in improving the lives of people globally, including:
-The America-India Connect initiative, which will deliver new strategic fiber-optic routes to…— Google (@Google) February 18, 2026
Google’s Big Push for AI in India and Beyond
Google is making significant investments and launching new programs to boost AI globally, with India playing a central role. Their goal is “to improve the lives of as many people as possible through technology.” They stress that AI can solve problems faster than ever, but “those solutions are only possible if everyone, everywhere, has access to these tools.”
Investing in Foundations
This big push starts with strong groundwork. Google recently announced a $15 billion investment in India for foundational AI infrastructure. Today, they introduced the “America-India Connect initiative,” which will build new fiber-optic routes to improve digital connectivity between the U.S., India, and other parts of the Southern Hemisphere.
Google is also investing in people and organizations. They are launching a “$30 million Google.org Global AI for Government Innovation Impact Challenge” to help governments use AI more effectively in public services. Another “$30 million Google.org AI for Science Impact Challenge” will support researchers using AI for scientific breakthroughs. Google DeepMind is also partnering with Indian government bodies and local institutions to share its advanced AI models for science and education. Additionally, the Google Center for Climate Technology is collaborating with the Indian government to speed up the adoption of AI-powered climate solutions.
AI Skilling
Equipping people with AI skills is a key part of realizing AI’s potential. Google has already trained over 100 million people globally in digital skills. Now, they are launching an “AI Professional Certificate program” worldwide, partnering with governments, schools, and employers. In India, they are working with Wadhwani AI to bring this program to students and young professionals. They also announced a partnership with Karmayogi Bharat to help build a future-ready civil service, providing secure infrastructure for the iGOT Karmayogi platform that supports over 20 million public servants and making content available in more than 18 Indian languages.
Products for everyone
Google is also focusing on making AI tools more inclusive and secure for daily life. They are breaking down language barriers with a new “live speech-to-speech translation model” that works in over 70 languages, including 10 Indian languages like Hindi and Tamil. Their Search Live tool will soon allow more people to ask questions about what they see in their own language. For students in India, the Gemini app and AI Mode in Search are getting new self-study features and practice tests for exams like JEE Main. Google is also investing in safety, with its SynthID feature in the Gemini App already used over 20 million times to identify AI-generated content and new features in Circle to Search and Lens to spot scam messages.