In September 2025, something remarkable happened in India’s digital landscape. A homegrown messaging app called Arattai saw its daily sign-ups skyrocket from 3,000 to 350,000 in just three days—a staggering 100-fold increase. Today, with over 7.5 million downloads, Arattai is not just another messaging app; it’s a symbol of India’s technological self-reliance and a testament to what “Made in India” truly means in the digital age.
Why Swadeshi Technology Matters in Messaging
The concept of Swadeshi—using products made in one’s own country—has deep historical roots in India. In the digital era, this philosophy takes on new significance. When you use a foreign messaging app, your conversations, photos, and personal data often travel thousands of miles to be stored on servers in distant countries, subject to foreign laws and regulations.
Arattai changes this equation by hosting all Indian user data inside India, giving users greater control over their information and ensuring compliance with Indian data protection regulations. This isn’t just about patriotism; it’s about practical privacy and digital sovereignty.
Features That Make Arattai Stand Out

Pocket: Your Personal Digital Vault
One of Arattai’s standout features is Pocket, a built-in personal cloud that lets users store messages, media, and notes for access across multiple devices—eliminating the need for workarounds like self-chat groups. Unlike WhatsApp’s reliance on Google Drive with its 15 GB storage limit, Arattai currently offers unlimited storage using Zoho servers.
Think of Pocket as your personal digital diary where you can:
- Save important messages and links
- Store photos and videos privately
- Create quick notes and reminders
- Access everything across all your devices

Integrated Meetings: Video Calls Without App-Hopping
Users can start or schedule video meetings directly from the app without switching to Zoom or Google Meet. This seamless integration means one less app cluttering your phone and one consistent interface for all your communication needs.
The “Meetings” tab lets you schedule video calls directly from the app, making it incredibly convenient for both personal catch-ups and professional discussions.
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Source – Tekrevol

Mentions Tab: Never Miss Important Messages
A dedicated Mentions tab highlights messages where users are tagged, similar to Slack. In busy group chats where messages flow constantly, this feature ensures you never miss when someone specifically needs your attention.

Multi-Platform Availability
Arattai works not just on smartphones, but also on tablets, desktops (running Windows, macOS, and Linux), and even Android TVs—enabling cross-platform communication to become entirely seamless, unlike WhatsApp, which is restricted to supported devices and does not fully support Android TV.

Privacy-First Design
In contrast to WhatsApp’s recent addition of Meta AI, which some users found intrusive, Arattai has opted for a simpler, AI-free experience. One notable distinction is that the Arattai app can be used without sharing your mobile number, providing an extra layer of privacy for users who prefer anonymity.

Optimized for Indian Conditions
Arattai offers all messaging staples—text, voice and video calls, group chats, and business tools—optimized for low-end phones and patchy connections. This is crucial in a country where internet connectivity varies significantly across regions and many users rely on budget smartphones.

Arattai is now #1 on both the Play Store and App Store. A proud and humbling moment for us. Source – Twitter
The Zoho Advantage: Trust Built Over Decades
What sets Arattai apart from other messaging platforms is the reputation of its parent company. Zoho Corporation has built its business on a foundation of user privacy and trust. Unlike ad-driven tech giants, Zoho’s business model relies on selling software, not user data. This fundamental difference in approach translates directly to how Arattai treats your information.
Zoho’s commitment means:
- No advertisements cluttering your experience
- No data mining for targeted marketing
- No selling your information to third parties
- Complete focus on user experience and privacy
The Road Ahead: Building Digital Atmanirbhar Bharat
Arattai’s rapid growth represents more than just the success of one app—it signals a broader shift in Indian users’ consciousness about digital sovereignty. As conversations about data privacy, national security, and technological independence gain prominence, homegrown alternatives like Arattai become increasingly relevant.
The app’s success demonstrates that Indian companies can build world-class products that not only match but exceed international standards in specific areas. It proves that given the choice, Indians are willing to support domestic innovation, especially when it comes with tangible benefits like better privacy, data sovereignty, and features tailored to local needs.
Challenges and Opportunities
While Arattai’s growth is impressive, it faces the classic network effect challenge—messaging apps are only as useful as the number of people using them. However, with 7.5 million users and growing, the app is reaching critical mass where conversations become self-sustaining.
The app is also working on rolling out end-to-end encryption for text messages, which will further strengthen its privacy credentials and address one of the main concerns raised by security-conscious users.
Why You Should Consider Switching
Making the switch to Arattai isn’t just about supporting Indian innovation—though that’s certainly a worthy reason. It’s about choosing a platform that:
- Respects your privacy without hidden agendas
- Keeps your data in India under Indian jurisdiction
- Offers unique features like Pocket and integrated Meetings
- Works seamlessly across all your devices
- Optimizes for Indian conditions with low-end phone support
- Provides unlimited storage for your important files
- Maintains simplicity without intrusive AI features
Conclusion: The Messaging Revolution is Here
Arattai represents a new chapter in India’s digital story—one where homegrown technology doesn’t just compete but innovates. It embodies the spirit of Swadeshi in the digital age, proving that “Made in India” can mean world-class quality, innovative features, and unwavering commitment to user privacy.
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