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Every time a new Indian app launches, the pitch is usually “this is our WhatsApp alternative” or “our Google alternative.
But honestly, I feel that approach limits how far the product can actually go. The moment you position it as an “alternative,” the comparison game starts. People don’t look at what it uniquely offers, they just check what it doesn’t have compared to the global giant. We’ve seen this story with Hike, Koo and many others.
Take Arattai from Zoho for example. I’ve been following it, and it genuinely has potential. Especially when you think about Zoho’s proven track record with business tools. But instead of only projecting it as “India’s WhatsApp alternative,” imagine if the focus was on its integration with Zoho’s ecosystem, privacy-first design, or features that are truly made for Indian users. That’s a much stronger story.
In my opinion, Indian apps don’t need to replace anything. They need to create their own space. That’s when adoption becomes natural and sustainable.
(via: x/8ap)
