Zoho Arattai Explained: The Swadeshi Messaging App That Rivals WhatsApp, Telegram, And Signal
The messaging app is available for download via the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store in India.
Published : September 29, 2025 at 2:45 PM IST
Hyderabad: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan endorsed Arattai, an Indian messaging app developed by Zoho Corporation and available to download via Google Play Store and Apple App Store. The minister urged citizens to use homegrown apps like Arattai to stay connected, resonating with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call to support Swadeshi (indigenous) products.
In an X post, Pradhan describes the Arattai app as an indigenously developed platform that is safe, user-friendly, and free to use.
The word “Arattai” is a Tamil word, which means ‘casual conversation’ or ‘chat’, reflecting the purpose of the app. It focuses on ease of communication while prioritising user security and privacy. The app promises not to share user information with third parties.
Arattai app: Features
The key features of the Arattai app include document and image sharing, voice and text messaging, audio and video calls, group chats with up to 1,000 participants, and dedicated channels.
Arattai instant messaging app developed by @Zoho is free, easy-to-use, secure, safe and ‘Made in India’.
— Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) September 24, 2025
Guided by Hon’ble PM Shri @narendramodi ji’s call to adopt Swadeshi, I appeal to everyone to switch to India-made apps for staying connected with friends and family.… pic.twitter.com/Tptgbzgivg
The Arattai app is positioned as a homegrown alternative to global messaging apps, such as WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal. It aims to offer a secure and comprehensive communication experience to users.
The app claims users can seamlessly import chats from other messaging platforms. It also supports usage across multiple devices, including smartphones, tablets, and desktops.
Arattai app: Security gap and eligibility
The Arattai app provides end-to-end encryption for calls, but messages do not receive the same level of protection. End-to-end encryption ensures that only the sender and the receiver can access the content, preventing third-party interception.
We have faced a 100x increase in Arattai traffic in 3 days (new sign-ups went vertical from 3K/day to 350K/day). We are adding infrastructure on an emergency basis for another potential 100x peak surge. That is how exponentials work.
— Sridhar Vembu (@svembu) September 28, 2025
As we add a lot more infrastructure, we are…
The app is free to download on both the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store. Users can install the app and start using it by just registering with a mobile number.
Arattai app: Who developed it?
The Indian messaging app is developed by Zoho Corporation, which was founded by Sridhar Vembu and Tony Thomas in 1996. It is headquartered in Chennai. The company offers more than 55 business applications across functions such as email, CRM, HR, accounting, and project management.
Zoho currently serves over 130 million users in 150 countries, with global clients including Amazon, Netflix, Deloitte, Toyota, Sony, Puma, and L’Oreal.
In an X post, Vembu mentioned that the platform experienced a 100-fold increase in traffic within three days of the Arattai app launch. He added that his team is urgently building an infrastructure to handle an additional 100x peak surge and is actively tuning the application’s code to resolve issues as they arise.
