The indigenous messaging app Arattai, launched in 2021, has recently experienced a surge in popularity following an appeal by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to adopt indigenous digital platforms. The app’s traffic increased a hundredfold within a few days. India’s track record with domestic digital products has been mixed, raising questions about whether Arattai can truly compete with WhatsApp.
To truly rival WhatsApp, Arattai needs to evolve beyond basic chat functionality. Experts suggest integrating services like payments (UPI) and e-commerce (ONDC) to enhance user appeal. While endorsements from Union Ministers Ashwini Vaishnaw and Dharmendra Pradhan, along with its association with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s campaign for indigenous products, have boosted its visibility, some analysts predict the surge may be temporary as users could revert to WhatsApp.
Arattai, which means ‘Chat’, was developed by Chennai-based Zoho Corporation. According to Siddhartha Pai, Founding Partner at 3one4 Capital, domestic software products often struggle due to the preference for foreign consumer technology. He emphasized the importance of a robust network for Arattai, highlighting that the number of sign-ups and active users are key determinants of a messaging app’s popularity.
Anand Lunia, Founding Partner at India Quotient, stressed the necessity of widespread adoption for any messaging app. He suggested that Arattai should focus on building tools, and if the user base is strong, it can grow exponentially and achieve broad acceptance.