Google I/O Connect: Gemini 2.5 Flash Now Supports On-Shore Processing in India

Google announced a series of advanced AI and geospatial tools for developers in India during its I/O Connect event on Wednesday. The tech giant is bringing the Gemini 2.5 Flash processing to India. This generative AI model will now be accessible via India-based data centres. Google is also expanding grounding with Google Maps in the country through Vertex AI. The company is also rolling out the AI-powered summaries in the Places API to India. Additionally, Google has added new India-specific pricing for its Maps Places UI Kit.

Gemini 2.5 Flash Now Available for On-Shore Processing in India

At the I/O Connect event in Bengaluru, Google announced the rollout of Gemini 2.5 Flash processing in the country. As mentioned, this generative AI model will now be accessible via Single Zone Provisioned Throughput within Indian Google Cloud regions. Google states that it will be beneficial for healthcare, finance, and the public sector industries.

To enable more accurate and location-aware responses from large language models (LLMs) in Vertex AI, Google is deepening integration with Google Maps in the country. This upgrade will let developers working on logistics, travel, and location-based services access more detailed and locally relevant data about over 250 million places worldwide.

Google has also introduced AI-powered summaries in the Places API to India. This integration will allow Indian developers to embed concise, Gemini-powered overviews of real-world locations into their applications. Google states that this will allow users to save time and resonate with local needs.

The company has made available the Google Maps Places UI Kit with India-specific pricing. This would make it affordable for more developers in the country to build engaging and location-based features using Google Maps Places.

Finally, Google's Advanced AI Weather Forecasting models will now support the new Google Maps Weather API in the country. This enables developers to deliver accurate, hyperlocal weather predictions. This feature is expected to be useful for developers working with logistics, e-commerce, and mobility platforms.