India may get new Google AI plan Helium at ₹250 launch price

Google appears to be preparing a new India-focused subscription plan, codenamed Helium, which surfaced in the codebase alongside a leaked announcement. The plan is priced at ₹500 but launches with a 50% promotional discount, bringing the cost to just ₹250. It promises “more access to powerful features,” including Veo 3 video generation and Deep Research on Gemini 2.5 Pro - tools normally behind higher-tier paywalls. This offer would sit on top of Google’s existing free Gemini access, positioning it as an affordable upgrade for users in the region.

The move comes as the Indian AI subscription market heats up. OpenAI has been testing its ChatGPT Go plan aimed at the same region, reportedly priced around 50% lower than Plus, while Perplexity has also increased its activity in India to secure user share. Given India’s rapidly growing AI adoption and price sensitivity, this kind of aggressive pricing could be a way for Google to capture early loyalty before competitors cement their foothold.

If launched, Helium would likely be integrated into Google’s existing Gemini web and app experience, unlocking premium features directly within the interface. Its discovery suggests internal testing is underway, but no public rollout date has been set. The strategy mirrors broader industry trends where AI companies adjust pricing by region to accelerate adoption in high-growth markets.