How to Buy Google (Alphabet) Shares from India (2026)

Last updated: 19 October 2026 · By Analyst, Platizio Global

Alphabet, Google’s parent, is not listed in India: its GOOGL (Class A) and GOOG (Class C) shares are listed on Nasdaq in the US. A resident Indian can buy either under the Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS) through a GIFT City app or an overseas broker, or get indirect exposure through Indian funds, most closed to new money.

Key takeaways

• How to buy Google shares in India: open a GIFT City app or overseas broker account, remit under LRS (up to US$250,000 a financial year) and buy GOOGL or GOOG.
• GOOGL closed at US$340.59 and GOOG at US$336.91 on 16 October 2026: about ₹32,363 and ₹32,013 at ₹95.0194 to the dollar.
• Both classes get the same dividend, currently US$0.22 a share a quarter, less 25% US tax with Form W-8BEN; only GOOGL votes.
• TCS (tax collected at source) of 20% applies only above ₹10 lakh of total LRS remittances in a financial year; gains are long-term only after more than 24 months.

Can you invest in Google stock from India?

Yes. A GIFT City app holds your account with an intermediary in India’s International Financial Services Centre (IFSC), regulated by the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA), which buys through a US broker.

GIFT City apps include Tickertape, INDmoney, Upstox, Appreciate and Platizio Global; on 19 October 2026 the first four had Alphabet pages, and Tickertape and INDmoney offered fractions from US$1. Check your app lists GOOGL or GOOG before remitting (compare GIFT City apps).

At the 58.6% premium, ₹50,000 bought about ₹31,525 of the ETF’s assets, ₹3,049 of it Alphabet (sharpely data). SEBI’s US$7 billion industry cap left 1 of 60 overseas equity funds open on 4 September 2026 (Value Research). Perpetual futures (“perps”), tokens and contracts for difference only track the price; LRS money cannot fund margin or derivatives.

Google share price in INR and the latest results

GOOGL closed at US$340.59 (about ₹32,363) and GOOG at US$336.91 (about ₹32,013) on 16 October 2026, at that day’s RBI reference rate of ₹95.0194; your bank’s rate will be higher.

Read that profit with care: the gains were mainly unrealised, on SpaceX and a private company, and Alphabet says such stakes could significantly add to the volatility of its other income.

GOOGL vs GOOG (and the new GOOGM and GOOGN)

Alphabet’s 10-K says the share classes have identical rights, dividends included, except voting. Through unlisted 10-vote Class B shares, Larry Page and Sergey Brin held about 52.7% of the voting power on 31 December 2025.

GOOG closed 1.08% (US$3.68) below GOOGL on 16 October and averaged 0.35% below over the previous 52 weeks (our calculation, Nasdaq data).

GOOGM and GOOGN, issued on 5 June 2026 and listed on Nasdaq, are depositary shares, each representing a 1/20th interest in a share of 6.25% Series A (GOOGM) or Series B (GOOGN) mandatory convertible preferred stock, not common shares. They carry no votes (with limited exceptions) and convert into Class A or Class C shares respectively on or about 15 May 2029.

How to buy Google shares in India: the steps

1. Open an account. Complete KYC with PAN and Aadhaar, a tax-residency declaration (FATCA/CRS) and Form W-8BEN, which certifies you are not a US person and cuts US dividend tax from 30% to the treaty rate of 25%.
2. Remit under LRS from your own bank account (Form A2, purpose code S0001).
3. Place the order. A dollar amount buys a fraction. A market order fills at the current price, which can jump: GOOGL rose 9.96% on 30 April 2026 and fell 7.13% on 23 July, each the day after results. Some apps take limit orders (filled only at your price or better) for whole shares only.
4. Trade in US hours: 7:00 pm–1:30 am Indian time (IST) until Friday 30 October 2026, then 8:00 pm–2:30 am IST from Monday 2 November, after US clocks go back on 1 November (US market timings). Trades settle the next business day (T+1).

What a ₹50,000 purchase costs

This example uses one GIFT City app’s published rates (19 October 2026); other apps and routes charge differently.

Bank charges and markups vary: SBI’s rate is for ₹10–20 lakh transfers, so smaller ones may cost more, and two banks charged about 0.6% and 2.0% over the interbank rate on 20 February 2026.

TCS on LRS affects cash flow: as banks charge it, remitting ₹15 lakh in 2026-27 means 20% × (₹15,00,000 − ₹10,00,000) = ₹1,00,000 collected, claimed against tax in your return.

How Alphabet shares are taxed in India

For residents in tax year 2026-27 (Income-tax Act, 2025), with rupee values at SBI’s telegraphic transfer buying rate (Rule 206):

• Capital gains are long-term only after more than 24 months, then taxed at 12.5% without indexation (section 197) plus surcharge and cess, with no ₹1.25 lakh exemption; short-term gains at your slab rate. On a ₹1 lakh gain: ₹13,000 long-term, or ₹31,200 short-term at the 30% slab (with 4% cess). More in tax on US stocks via GIFT City.
• Dividends are taxed at your slab rate on the gross amount, with credit for the 25% US withholding up to the Indian tax on it: Form 67 for FY 2025-26 income (due 31 March 2027), Form 44 from tax year 2026-27 (due 31 March 2028).
• Schedule FA, your return’s foreign-assets schedule: report the shares for each calendar year (January–December) you hold them, at any value. The ₹10 lakh Black Money Act penalty does not apply if foreign assets other than immovable property total ₹20 lakh or less.
• US estate tax: non-residents who are not US citizens get only US$60,000 of US assets free, about 176 GOOGL shares; rates reach 40%.

Alphabet stock in 2026: changes and risks

• Share sale (June 2026): net proceeds of US$20.5 billion from a public offering of Class A and C shares, US$10.0 billion from a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate and US$19.0 billion from the convertible preferred; up to US$40 billion more may be sold at market prices. Alphabet says such sales and conversions “could dilute our existing stockholders”.
• Buybacks paused: none in January–June 2026, against US$13.2 billion in April–June 2025; US$69.5 billion remained available on 30 June.
• EU fines (23 July 2026): €890 million under the Digital Markets Act, for search self-preferencing and Google Play anti-steering.
• US ad-tech remedies (September 2026): no forced sale of the AdX exchange, but six years of conduct rules under a compliance monitor; Google plans to appeal the liability finding.
• US search case: both sides have appealed the December 2025 judgment restricting how Google distributes its services and ordering some search-data sharing with rivals.
• Spending and competition: second-quarter capital spending of US$44.9 billion (37.5% of revenue) left free cash flow at minus US$5.9 billion. Google Services produced 78.9% of revenue; the 10-K warns rivals may develop “similar or superior” AI products.
• Currency: returns are in dollars, so rupee moves can add to or cut your gain.

Sources

1. Alphabet Inc.: Second quarter 2026 results release, 22 July 2026 (SEC EDGAR) — https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1652044/000165204426000066/googexhibit991q22026.htm
2. Alphabet Inc.: Form 10-Q for the quarter ended 30 June 2026 (SEC EDGAR) — https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1652044/000165204426000071/goog-20260630.htm
3. Alphabet Inc.: Form 10-K for the year ended 31 December 2025 (SEC EDGAR) — https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1652044/000165204426000018/goog-20251231.htm
4. European Commission: Commission fines Google €890 million for breaches of the Digital Markets Act, 23 July 2026 — https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/news/commission-fines-google-eu890-million-breaches-digital-markets-act
5. Nasdaq: Alphabet GOOGL and GOOG quotes and historical prices (closes of 16 October 2026) — https://www.nasdaq.com/market-activity/stocks/googl
6. Reserve Bank of India: reference rate on the RBI home page (source FBIL, as at 1:00 pm, 16 October 2026) — https://www.rbi.org.in/
7. Reserve Bank of India: Master Direction – Liberalised Remittance Scheme — https://www.rbi.org.in/Scripts/BS_ViewMasDirections.aspx?id=10192
8. Income Tax Department: section 394 of the Income-tax Act, 2025 (TCS) — https://www.incometaxindia.gov.in/w/section-394-6
9. Income Tax Department: section 197 of the Income-tax Act, 2025 (long-term capital gains) — https://www.incometaxindia.gov.in/w/section-197-78
10. Internal Revenue Service: India–US income tax treaty (25% rate on dividends) — https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-trty/india.pdf
11. National Stock Exchange of India: ETF market data (Mirae Asset NYSE FANG+ ETF close, 16 October 2026; NAV from AMFI for the same date) — https://www.nseindia.com/market-data/exchange-traded-funds-etf
12. PYMNTS: Google dodges ad tech breakup as judge imposes six-year oversight, 17 September 2026 — https://www.pymnts.com/cpi-posts/google-dodges-ad-tech-breakup-as-judge-imposes-six-year-oversight/

Platizio Global is operated by Platizio Services LLP, an AMFI-registered mutual fund distributor. Accounts are opened and held with ViewTrade International IFSC Private Limited, which is regulated by the International Financial Services Centres Authority in GIFT City. Platizio is a referral partner, not a broker, investment adviser or research analyst, and may receive remuneration from ViewTrade. This article is for education only. It is not investment, tax or legal advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold any security. The securities quoted, including GOOGL, GOOG, GOOGM, GOOGN and the funds named, are for illustration only and are not recommendatory. Investments in US stocks and ETFs are subject to market risk, currency risk and tax implications; past performance is not indicative of future results, and returns are not guaranteed. Prices, fees, tax rates and rules are as of 19 October 2026 and can change; check them with a chartered accountant before you act.