Zoho's Arattai App Surges to 1 Million Users as Indian WhatsApp Alternative

Arattai, an indigenous messaging app developed by Zoho, is rapidly gaining popularity in India as a strong alternative to WhatsApp, especially following endorsements from government leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and key ministers. The app offers unique features such as chatting without sharing mobile numbers, dedicated meeting creation, an aggregated Mentions feature, and secure cloud storage for important messages, which are not available on WhatsApp. Despite its surge from 3,000 to 350,000 daily sign-ups and a 100-fold increase in traffic, the app has sparked debates over its Tamil-origin name, with some users finding it hard to pronounce and less appealing for global markets. Zoho is scaling its infrastructure to manage the unexpected user growth and plans a major feature launch in November, while also exploring the standardization of messaging protocols inspired by the success of UPI. Emphasizing privacy and integration with Zoho's ecosystem, Arattai is positioned as a secure and user-friendly platform that underscores India's push for digital self-reliance. The app's rise reflects a broader trend of India emerging as a hub for innovative, locally made technology products challenging global incumbents.