Sridhar Vembu, co-founder of Zoho, has recently endorsed an Indian navigation app named Mappls, which is not affiliated with his own company. This app, developed by the Indian digital mapping firm MapmyIndia, received attention after Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw encouraged the public to explore the ‘Swadeshi Mappls’ app. Vembu described the app as ‘very nice’ in a post on X (formerly Twitter) and remarked that it showcases ‘decades of R&D, much longer than Google Maps.’ His endorsement followed Vaishnaw’s earlier tweet recommending Mappls, featuring a video that showcased the app’s capabilities as a credible Indian alternative to foreign mapping services.
Established in 1995, MapmyIndia launched Mappls, which offers detailed navigation, live traffic updates, and improved privacy protections, all built on nearly thirty years of domestic mapping infrastructure. Notable features include 3D junction views that accurately depict over-bridges and underpasses to minimize navigation mistakes, as well as indoor navigation to help users find specific shops or offices within multi-level buildings. The app has also introduced innovative digital addressing systems like Mappls PIN and DigiPIN, which divide India into 3.8-metre square grids, ensuring accurate mapping even in remote areas. If a Mappls PIN is not available, the app can generate one based on the nearest landmark, facilitating precise addressing throughout the country.
For daily commuters, Mappls offers features such as live traffic light countdowns, speed and safety alerts, toll cost estimates, and real-time route updates. It is compatible with multiple Indian languages and prioritizes user data privacy by storing information within India, addressing growing concerns with international services like Google Maps. With over 35 million downloads, Mappls is gaining popularity among Indian users. MapmyIndia is also looking to collaborate with the government to integrate Mappls’ geospatial data into public services like railway systems. Furthermore, the company has partnered with India Post to incorporate DigiPIN into the app, improving address accuracy for post offices nationwide. These collaborations aim to close logistical gaps between urban and rural areas, enhancing navigation reliability across the country.
The emergence of Mappls aligns with the Indian government’s push for indigenous apps, coinciding with increasing scrutiny of Google Maps, which has been criticized for providing inaccurate directions that could lead drivers into hazardous situations, such as directing them onto incomplete bridges. With its localized data collection and region-specific updates, Mappls seeks to offer more reliable navigation. Whether it will eventually surpass Google Maps is uncertain, but with endorsements from influential figures like Vembu and government support, the app is set to become a significant player in India’s digital mapping industry.
