Zoho’s home-grown messaging app, Arattai, is experiencing significant growth in India, with around a 100-fold increase in daily sign-ups within just three days. This surge has attracted attention, leading to lively discussions on social media and government support for the app’s success. Although some have labeled it a potential competitor to WhatsApp, Zoho founder Sridhar Vembu stresses that the company does not aim for monopoly power like its global competitors. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Vembu articulated that Arattai is founded on principles of openness, interoperability, and user trust. He stated, “These systems need to be interoperable like UPI and email, and not closed like WhatsApp today.
We do not want to be a monopoly ever.” Vembu also mentioned that Zoho has started talks with iSpirt, the think tank responsible for UPI, to standardize and publish messaging protocols. He clarified that Zoho intends to expand Arattai beyond a typical chat application, envisioning a messaging ecosystem that operates across various platforms, similar to email or UPI payments, allowing users to communicate freely without being tied to a single provider. Focusing on privacy and local development, Vembu addressed concerns about user data storage and product creation, asserting, “Indian customer data is hosted in India.
We are proudly ‘Made in India, Made for the World’ and we mean it.” He highlighted that all Zoho products, including Arattai, are developed at its headquarters in Chennai. Unlike many global services, Zoho utilizes proprietary hardware and open-source software frameworks, intentionally steering clear of cloud providers such as AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud. Arattai’s user data is stored in multiple Indian data centers located in Mumbai, Delhi, and Chennai, with plans to expand to Odisha. The app, which translates to “casual chat” in Tamil, was launched quietly in 2021 but has recently gained momentum as interest in home-grown digital options increases.
It features standard functionalities like group chats, voice and video calls, broadcast channels, and ephemeral stories, but its unique selling point is its dedication to data privacy and avoiding intrusive monetization models. As Arattai rises, it offers a secure alternative for Indian users seeking a messaging platform genuinely developed in India, particularly at a time when WhatsApp, owned by Meta, dominates the Indian market with over 500 million users but faces criticism for its data-sharing policies and integration into the larger Meta ecosystem. With a commitment to transparency, independence, and trust, Arattai is positioning itself as a strong contender in the Indian messaging landscape.