Arattai Messenger: Indian WhatsApp Alternative Everyone's Talking About

Arattai, a homegrown Indian messaging app by Zoho, has experienced a 100-fold traffic surge after endorsements from government ministers promoting 'Swadeshi' alternatives.

India’s homegrown messaging app, Arattai, has suddenly captured the nation’s attention. Developed by Zoho, the app saw its traffic soar 100 times in just three days, following endorsements from IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who encouraged citizens to support Indian alternatives to popular foreign apps.

Ministers Urge Citizens to Go Swadeshi

Earlier this month, Vaishnaw urged citizens on social media to “join PM Narendra Modi’s call for Swadeshi by adopting indigenous products & services.” Pradhan echoed the sentiment, asking people to switch to India-made apps for chatting with friends and family.

The ministers’ encouragement struck a chord with many, giving Arattai a sudden boost as more people explored homegrown digital platforms.

What is Arattai Messenger?

Arattai, launched in 2021, is Zoho’s answer to WhatsApp. It allows users to send texts, voice notes, photos, documents, and make audio and video calls. Users can even post stories, just like on popular messaging apps. Fun fact: “Arattai” means “chat” in Tamil, reflecting the app’s local flavor.

Though it has been around for four years, Arattai only recently went viral, thanks to the swadeshi push and the ministers’ calls to action.

Zoho Confirms Explosive Growth

Zoho founder Sridhar Vembu confirmed the surge on social media: “We have faced a 100x increase in Arattai traffic in 3 days. New sign-ups went from 3,000 per day to 350,000 per day. We are adding infrastructure urgently to handle another possible surge.”

He added that Zoho had planned a major relaunch in November, with new features, greater capacity, and marketing efforts. “We have a lot more planned for Arattai. Please give us some time. Thank you for your patience and support! Jai Hind,” Vembu wrote.

Available Across Devices

Arattai isn’t limited to just phones. Users can access it on Android phones, iPads, iOS devices, Windows PCs, Linux computers, and Macs, making it easy for everyone to join the swadeshi messaging movement.

What This Means for India

The sudden surge in Arattai’s popularity shows a growing appetite for homegrown digital solutions. With the November relaunch and added features, Zoho is preparing the app for mass adoption, offering Indians a secure and locally made alternative to foreign messaging platforms.