Amazon Launches Alexa+ in India with Generative AI Features
Amazon has officially introduced Alexa+, a new, AI-powered version of its voice assistant, in India. This service was made available for Early Access starting Wednesday. Alexa+ caters to Indian users by supporting English, Hindi, and Hinglish, with plans to introduce more Indian languages in the future.
Originally revealed in 2025, Alexa+ has been rolled out in the US earlier this year. Now, Amazon is tailoring the assistant specifically for Indian users, with teams based in cities like Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, and Chennai focusing on developing speech recognition and language models that understand Hinglish and Indian cultural nuances.
During the Early Access phase, Alexa+ is offered free to all users. After this period, Prime members will continue to have access without charge, while others, including Prime Lite and non-Prime users, will need to subscribe at a rate of ₹2,000 per month unless they upgrade to a qualifying Prime plan.
Support for Indian Languages and Culture
Alexa+ easily transitions between English, Hindi, and Hinglish in conversations, even within the same sentence. Amazon emphasizes that the assistant is designed to recognize Indian terms and phrases that don’t have direct translations in English. This includes local expressions like “dhai baje” and family terms such as “bhanja” and “bhateeji.” Additionally, Alexa+ is knowledgeable about Bollywood, cricket, and various Indian festivals.
Users can interact with Alexa+ without needing to repeat the wake word for follow-up questions, enabling a more fluid conversation.
More Than Just Answering Questions
Amazon promotes Alexa+ as a tool that can accomplish tasks rather than just provide answers. Users can ask it to manage calendars, send emails, create shopping lists, make meal recommendations, control smart devices, and search for products on Amazon. The assistant remembers user preferences like dietary restrictions, favorite restaurants, and important dates for future conversations.
Alexa+ also allows users to upload documents—like school schedules or recipes—and inquire about them during discussions.
Another improvement is that conversations can carry over between different devices. A chat started on an Echo device can be continued through the Alexa app or on a Fire TV, with the assistant retaining the context from earlier.
Expanding Services for Indian Users
Alexa+ integrates with various entertainment and smart home services available in India. It is compatible with smart home devices from brands such as Atomberg, Qubo, Dreame, and Wipro. For entertainment, users can listen to music on Amazon Music, Spotify, Apple Music, and JioSaavn, as well as access Prime Video and Netflix.
Amazon plans to introduce more services, like EazyDiner for dining reservations, Swiggy for food delivery, and MakeMyTrip for travel bookings.
Enhanced Shopping Experience
Alexa+ also plays a significant role in shopping. Users can ask it to find items on Amazon.in, compare products, summarize reviews, and notify them of price changes. The assistant will consider past purchases and preferences to make suitable suggestions, and it can even help users place orders directly in the future.
Voice-ordered shopping through Amazon Now is on the way, allowing users to search for and purchase groceries and essentials through Alexa+.
Conversational Smart Home Controls
With Alexa+, controlling smart home devices has become easier and more conversational. Users can express needs, like adjusting the temperature of an AC, without needing to remember specific device names. Multi-step routines can also be created verbally, like changing lights or turning on the TV with a single command.
The assistant can recognize different family members through their voice and visual IDs, personalizing responses based on who is speaking.
Amazon refers to this capability as “ambient AI,” indicating that Alexa+ will use time, location, and habits to provide timely reminders or alert users about schedule conflicts.
Availability and Pricing for Alexa+ in India
During the Early Access phase, Alexa+ is available for free to all Indian customers. Those interested in checking eligibility can visit Amazon’s Alexa+ page, while purchasing a new compatible Echo or Fire TV device provides immediate access.
Most Echo devices that work with Alexa will support the new features; however, some older models may not. Amazon has also launched updated devices like the Echo Show 8, Echo Show 11, Echo Dot Max, and Echo Studio tailored for Alexa+. After the Early Access phase, Alexa+ will continue to be free for Prime members, and others will need to pay ₹2,000 monthly for access.
