Adobe to Offer Free Access to Photoshop, Acrobat, and Firefly to Indian Students

Global technology leader Adobe announced a strategic investment to accelerate AI-driven creativity and productivity for India’s next generation of talent at the India AI Impact Summit on February 19, 2026. The company is providing free access to its applications – Firefly, Photoshop, and Acrobat – to students through accredited higher education institutions across India.

Empowering the Next Generation of Indian Creators

Adobe’s initiative aims to prepare students for AI-first careers by providing access to industry-leading applications. This move reinforces the Indian Government’s “Create in India” vision and complements the Union Budget 2026, which focuses on creating two million jobs in the Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics (AVGC) sector by 2030 Adobe News.

Partnerships and Curriculum

In partnership with the Government of India, Adobe will offer its AI-first tools, along with an industry-endorsed curriculum, free of charge to students at 15,000 schools and 500 colleges that will host Content Creator Labs Gadgets360. The program includes:

• Free access to Firefly, Photoshop, and Acrobat
• Structured curriculum designed around AI-first creative workflows
• Training modules for practical application of the tools
• Certification pathways to enhance employability

Expanding Skills Through Collaboration

Adobe is also partnering with NASSCOM FutureSkills Prime, a digital skilling initiative in collaboration with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), to offer free, industry-relevant courses and certificates to learners across India Gizbot. This extends the Adobe Digital Academy’s global skilling and career pathway program.

Showcasing Indian Creativity with ‘Kathāvatār’

At the AI Impact Summit, Adobe showcased ‘Kathāvatār,’ a series of five Made in India Short AI Films based on Indian folklore, in partnership with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Indian Express.

Looking Ahead

Shantanu Narayen, Chair and CEO of Adobe, expressed excitement about empowering Indian students with AI skills and accelerating the “Viksit Bharat” (Developed India) vision. The initiative aims to provide students with access to safe, commercially viable AI-generated content and the flexibility to work with various generative AI models.