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Recent Delhi – Adobe announced a significant investment in India’s technology education sector Thursday, making its flagship creative software – Firefly, Photoshop, and Acrobat – available for free to students at accredited higher education institutions across the country. The initiative, unveiled at the India AI Impact Summit, aims to equip the next generation of Indian workers with skills in artificial intelligence and creative technologies.
The company will partner with NASSCOM FutureSkills Prime, a digital skilling initiative backed by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), to provide free, industry-relevant courses and certifications alongside the software access. Adobe similarly plans to establish “Content Creator Labs” in 15,000 schools and 500 colleges, offering curriculum, training, and credentials designed to enhance students’ employability.
“Adobe is expanding the opportunity for creativity for millions of students across India, empowering them with AI skills, further accelerating Prime Minister Modi’s vision,” said Shantanu Narayen, Chair and CEO of Adobe, in a statement. “I look forward to seeing what the students of India create with Adobe’s industry-leading tools, and in doing so accelerating Viksit Bharat.”
The move aligns with the Indian government’s “Create in India” vision and the Union Budget 2026, which allocated resources to generate two million jobs in the Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics (AVGC) sector by 2030. Adobe’s announcement seeks to bolster this effort by providing students with access to tools used by professionals in these fields.
Adobe Firefly, the company’s AI-powered creative AI studio, will be a key component of the program, integrating models from partners including Google, OpenAI, and Runway. Students will also have access to the productivity features of Acrobat Pro, enabling enhanced collaboration and document editing.
In addition to the educational initiative, Adobe showcased ‘Kathāvatār’ at the AI Impact Summit – a series of five short films created in India using AI, based on Indian folklore, in partnership with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
The initiative extends Adobe’s global skilling program, the Adobe Digital Academy, to India, focusing on preparing students for “AI-first careers” and providing access to AI-generated content that is commercially safe to use.
