India’s home-grown messaging platform Arattai has reached a major milestone, climbing to the top of the Social Networking category on the App Store, amid a dramatic surge in new users and growing calls for homegrown digital solutions.
The platform, developed by Zoho Corporation, announced its achievement on its official X account, thanking users for their support and celebrating its rise to the number one spot. The announcement comes during a period of extraordinary growth, with daily sign-ups skyrocketing from 3,000 per day to 350,000 per day in just three days, a staggering 100-fold increase.
Arattai, which means “chat” in Tamil, was first launched in January 2021 following concerns over changes to WhatsApp’s privacy policy. The app offers a secure, Indian-made alternative for messaging and communication, aligning with the government’s push for indigenous technology solutions.
Attarai – ‘The Swadeshi App’
The app’s rapid ascent has been bolstered by high-profile endorsements, including from Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Last week, he urged citizens to adopt Arattai, calling it “free, easy-to-use, secure, safe, and made in India,” and linking its adoption to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for “Swadeshi” (self-reliance).
Perplexity AI CEO Aravind Srinivas also praised Zoho for the app’s impressive momentum, describing it as a strong Indian challenger to established global players like WhatsApp.
Zoho’s co-founder and Chief Scientist, Sridhar Vembu, confirmed that the company is rapidly scaling up infrastructure to cope with the explosive growth. “We are adding infrastructure on an emergency basis for another potential 100x peak surge. That is how exponentials work,” he said on X. He also revealed that the surge in users had arrived months ahead of the company’s planned November marketing campaign and feature rollout.
What is Arattai?
Arattai is a cross-platform instant messaging application developed by Chennai-based Zoho Corporation. It enables users to send text and voice messages, make audio and video calls, share photos, videos, and documents, post stories, and create group chats, all within a secure and user-friendly interface, claims the platform.
Arattai vs WhatsApp
Arattai, Zoho’s Indian-built messaging app launched in 2021, has recently climbed to the top of the country’s app charts, inviting comparisons with WhatsApp. Yet keeping that momentum will be far tougher. WhatsApp is deeply woven into everyday life in India, with more than 500 million users who depend on it for personal chats, commerce, and even government services. Its vast network effects and expanding business platform give it a commanding lead.
Zoho promotes Arattai as a privacy-first service, with all user data stored in India. Voice and video calls are already end-to-end encrypted, while standard messages currently lack this safeguard. A ‘secret chat’ option does offer secure messaging, and full encryption is said to be on the way. Arattai must now convert downloads into regular use, bridge feature gaps, and prove its long-term dependability. Otherwise, its current spike in popularity may fade as quickly as it appeared.
Netizens remember Koo following the Arattai user surge
“@narendramodi we need you to tweet on this, we miss the bus on the Koo app, not again,” tweets an X user by the handle of @Jhunjhunuwala_, requesting the PM to support the Swadeshi app.
Another X user wrote, “As @Arattai is going to be huge now, we should demand Koo app to make a comeback as well. Also, we need alternate apps for Facebook Instagram YouTube. Let’s go #Swadeshi 👍🏼 full head-on.”
FAQs
Is Arattai free to use?
Yes. Arattai is completely free to download and use. It offers a simple, privacy-focused communication solution without subscription fees, making it accessible to a wide range of users.
What can I use Arattai for?
Arattai serves as a comprehensive communication tool. Users can send messages, share media files and documents, make voice and video calls, connect via group chats and channels, and post stories to stay in touch with friends and family.
Can I use Arattai on multiple devices?
Yes. Arattai supports use across multiple devices, including smartphones, tablets, and desktop computers, and allows up to five devices to be linked to a single account. Messages, contacts, and settings sync automatically across devices, ensuring a seamless experience.
Can I import chats from other messaging apps?
Currently, Arattai does not support importing messages from other platforms. However, its growing feature set aims to make the transition as smooth as possible for new users.
With its sudden surge in popularity and strong backing from both government officials and tech leaders, Arattai is emerging as one of the most promising homegrown alternatives to global messaging giants, a milestone that could redefine India’s digital communication landscape.
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