As Google experiments with AI-powered answers in India, the search game is changing. Startups must now ask: how do you get discovered when Google skips the clicks?
Google has quietly expanded its AI Overview feature in India, serving answers directly inside search results. For users, it feels faster. For startups, it’s a double-edged sword.
On one hand, AI answers reduce dependency on clicks — meaning less traffic for smaller websites that once relied on Google SEO. On the other, it opens up a new battleground: Answer Engine Optimization (AEO). If your brand isn’t structured for AI to “quote” you, you risk disappearing from the discovery funnel altogether.
This shift matters most in Bharat, where search is often the first gateway to digital adoption. If AI shortcuts discovery, distribution power will tilt even further toward big brands with structured content and deep pockets.
This shift matters most in Bharat, where search is often the first gateway to digital adoption. And with over 500 million Indians expected to shop online by 2025, the stakes are even higher — as outlined in our Complete State of E-commerce in India 2025 report.
For founders, the takeaway is urgent: optimise not just for SEO, but for AEO. Structured data, clear answers, and authority-driven insights will decide if AI mentions your brand — or ignores it.
The future of search in India may no longer be about ranking on page one. It’s about being the answer itself.
As a founder, I see this shift as more than a Google experiment. Google AI Search in India is forcing startups to rethink how discovery happens. You can no longer rely on SEO alone — AEO is the new frontier. Brands that adapt early will be rewarded, while laggards risk invisibility.”
