In a big win for India’s tech industry, Zoho, the Chennai-based software company, is making global headlines with its made-in-India products — Zoho Mail and Arattai Chat App. After former U.S. President Donald Trump’s new foreign tax policy increased import duties on Indian products, the Indian government has started strongly encouraging citizens to use Indian-made software and services.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah recently announced that he has officially switched his email to Zoho Mail, encouraging others to use his new address for correspondence. This move inspired many government officials and private users to make the same switch. Earlier, ministers Ashwini Vaishnaw, Dharmendra Pradhan, and Piyush Goyal also started using Zoho’s platforms for their official communication.
Hello everyone,
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) October 8, 2025
I have switched to Zoho Mail. Kindly note the change in my email address.
My new email address is amitshah.bjp @ https://t.co/32C314L8Ct. For future correspondence via mail, kindly use this address.
Thank you for your kind attention to this matter.
The sudden shift has created a huge buzz across the nation, with people seeing Zoho as a powerful Indian alternative to Google, Microsoft, and Meta. The government’s digital policy now supports Indian products that are secure, high-quality, and globally competitive.
Trust and Long-Term Innovation
Zoho founder Sridhar Vembu recently responded to user concerns about privacy and naming debates, assuring that Arattai will soon get end-to-end encryption for all users. He emphasized, “Our entire SaaS business is built on trust. We don’t access user data or sell it. Trust is more precious than anything else.”
In another thought-provoking post, Vembu discussed why Indian professionals dominate leadership roles in American tech companies. He explained that the U.S. H-1B visa and long green card process created a culture of loyalty and long-term commitment, which led many Indians to rise to senior positions at firms like Google and Microsoft.
Vembu believes Indian companies must learn from this—sustained innovation comes from teams that stay committed for years, not from short-term projects. He recently stepped down as CEO to focus on research and development, becoming Zoho’s Chief Scientist to lead India’s next big leap in AI and technology.
🌐 Zoho vs Global Giants
Zoho’s vision is simple — to give India and the world a secure, ad-free, and privacy-focused ecosystem. With Zoho Mail, users get a professional and clean email experience without data tracking or advertisements. The company has already replaced the National Informatics Centre (NIC) email system that earlier depended on foreign technology.
Meanwhile, Zoho’s Arattai Chat App is turning into a major competitor to WhatsApp. With over 7.5 million downloads, Arattai offers voice and video calls, one-to-one and group chats, and even a “secret chat” feature.
Zoho CEO Mani Vembu recently confirmed that end-to-end encryption — a major privacy feature — will soon be available for all Arattai users. The company’s focus, he said, is not only on building features but also on earning user trust.
🇮🇳 Government Push for Indian Tech
The Indian Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) has made it clear that the government will support all Indian products that match world-class standards. Secretary S. Krishnan said, “We will support everything which is Indian and of global quality. India will never settle for less.”
The National Informatics Centre (NIC) has already shifted its official email system to Zoho Mail, marking a significant milestone in India’s digital independence journey.
This government push comes at a time when India is also attracting big global investments in AI and semiconductor sectors, showing that the country’s digital ecosystem is ready to lead.
📱 Why Users Are Switching to Zoho
Many users are moving to Zoho Mail and Arattai because:
- It’s made in India and data is stored on Indian servers.
- It’s ad-free and secure.
- It’s trusted by top Indian ministers and companies.
- It promotes digital independence from foreign tech giants.
As more Indians begin to prefer homegrown apps, Zoho is becoming a symbol of digital self-reliance — showing that Indian innovation can compete with Silicon Valley on a global stage.
💡 The Road Ahead
As the “Use Indian, Build Indian” movement gains momentum, Zoho stands at the forefront of a new digital revolution. Whether the company will officially rename Arattai to Zchat or Zoho Mail to Zmail remains to be seen, but one thing is certain — Zoho is redefining India’s tech identity.
With strong government support, growing user trust, and a commitment to innovation, Zoho is no longer just competing with Google and WhatsApp — it’s challenging the world to see India as a global tech leader.
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