The Indian messaging app that wants to take on WhatsApp

OCT 8 - Can an Indian-made messaging app compete with the behemoth that is WhatsApp? Over the past couple of weeks, Arattai, developed by Indian tech Kenya breaking news | Kenya news today |..

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An Indian-made messaging app, Arattai, developed by Zoho, has seen a sudden surge in popularity, challenging WhatsApp's dominance in India. This rise is linked to the Indian government's push for self-reliance and "Make in India" initiatives.

Arattai reported seven million downloads in "seven days last week" following government endorsement.
CEO Mani Vembu stated that daily sign-ups increased from 3,000 to 350,000, with a 100X jump in active users.
The app, which boasts features similar to WhatsApp, is working to implement end-to-end encryption for text messages, a feature currently absent but planned for a future update.
Concerns have been raised regarding data privacy and Arattai's potential compliance with government requests for user data, unlike international apps like WhatsApp that have legally challenged such demands.

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Google Offers AI Tools in Kenya, Scammers Use AI to Impersonate Businesses, & Indian App Challenges WhatsApp - October 2025

Google is offering Kenyan university students one year of free access to its premium AI tools, including Gemini 2.5 Pro and 2 terabytes of cloud storage, as part of an educational program across six African countries. In a different application of technology, foreign firms are using AI-generated images and fabricated backstories to impersonate legitimate UK businesses and scam shoppers. Customers reported receiving low-quality items from East Asian warehouses instead of artisanal products. In the app market, an Indian-made messaging app called Arattai, developed by Zoho, has seen a sudden surge in popularity, challenging WhatsApp's dominance in India. This rise is linked to the Indian government's push for self-reliance.

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