The landscape of artificial intelligence in India is undergoing a dramatic and democratic shift. What was once the domain of tech labs and early adopters is now becoming a mainstream utility, thanks to strategic partnerships between global AI leaders and India's telecom giants. In a series of moves that started in 2025, companies like Google, Perplexity, and OpenAI have announced free, long-term access to their premium AI services for millions of Indian users, effectively removing cost barriers and integrating AI into routine digital life.
Google and Jio's Power Play: Gemini Pro for 18 Months
In a landmark deal announced in October 2025, Google entered a strategic partnership with Reliance Jio. This collaboration offers Jio's Unlimited 5G plan users the Google AI Pro plan, featuring the advanced Gemini 2.5 Pro model, at no extra cost for 18 months. Initially targeted at users aged 18-25, the offer was later expanded to all Jio users nationwide.
Google's CEO, Sundar Pichai, emphasized the move's significance, stating it would put cutting-edge AI tools in the hands of consumers, businesses, and developers. Reliance Chairman Mukesh Ambani framed the partnership as a step towards an "AI-empowered" India.
The benefits under this offer are substantial and valued at approximately ₹35,100. Eligible users gain:
- Access to Google's most capable Gemini 2.5 Pro model.
- Higher limits for generating images and videos with Imagen 3 and Veo 3.1 models.
- Expanded access to NotebookLM for research.
- 2 TB of cloud storage across Google Photos, Gmail, and Drive.
- 1,000 monthly AI credits for use across Google's AI platforms.
Activation is simple through the MyJio app, putting a suite of powerful AI tools directly into the pockets of one of India's largest subscriber bases.
Airtel Teams Up with Perplexity for Smarter Search
Not to be outdone, Bharti Airtel announced its own "game-changing" partnership with Perplexity in July 2025. The telecom operator is offering a 12-month Perplexity Pro subscription, worth ₹17,000, free to all its 360 million customers, including prepaid, postpaid, Wi-Fi, and DTH subscribers.
Perplexity Pro is an advanced AI research and answer engine that moves beyond traditional search. Aravind Srinivas, CEO of Perplexity, highlighted the goal of making "accurate, trustworthy, and professional-grade AI accessible to more people in India."
The Pro version boasts powerful features ideal for students and professionals:
- Up to 300 advanced AI searches per day using models like GPT-4, Claude, and Gemini.
- Ability to upload and analyze documents (PDF, DOCX) for summarization.
- Image generation from text prompts.
- Perplexity Labs for building mini-apps and data dashboards.
Users can claim this offer via the Airtel Thanks app by navigating to the "Rewards and OTTs" section and selecting the Perplexity Pro banner.
OpenAI Counters with Free ChatGPT Go Access
Responding to these telecom-led initiatives, OpenAI itself stepped directly into the Indian market. Starting November 4, 2025, the company began offering a free 12-month subscription to ChatGPT Go, its affordable plan typically priced at ₹399 per month, to eligible users in India.
The promotion is designed for new users, current free users, or existing ChatGPT Go subscribers in good standing who are physically located in India. To enroll, users must provide a payment method (Credit Card or UPI), but they will not be charged until the 12-month period ends.
ChatGPT Go provides significant upgrades over the free plan, including:
- Extended access to the flagship GPT-5 model and advanced image generation.
- More file uploads for analysis and expanded use of advanced data analysis tools.
- Longer memory for personalized responses and access to custom GPTs.
Users can activate the offer by selecting "Try ChatGPT Go" in their account settings and completing checkout with a payment method.
Who Benefits and What It Means for India's Digital Future
The clear winners of this AI access revolution are Indian students, professionals, and small businesses. The combined value of these offers exceeds ₹50,000, providing tools that can enhance productivity, learning, and creativity at zero upfront cost.
For students, features like document summarization, source comparison, and data analysis can revolutionize research and project work. Professionals can leverage these AI assistants for competitive analysis, report generation, and automating routine tasks. This widespread, free access is poised to accelerate India's digital adoption and foster a generation of AI-native users.
These partnerships signal a strategic pivot where AI accessibility is being driven through essential service providers like telecom networks. By bundling AI with data plans, these companies are ensuring rapid, large-scale adoption. The year 2025 may well be remembered as the moment when premium AI stopped being a niche luxury and became a standard utility for the Indian digital citizen.
