New Delhi — Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw has announced his decision to shift to Zoho’s office suite software, in a move aimed at encouraging the adoption of indigenous technology platforms. The announcement aligns with the government’s broader push for Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for “Swadeshi” adoption of local products and services.
Minister’s Swadeshi Call on X
Sharing the update on X (formerly Twitter), Vaishnaw said he would now be using Zoho’s online suite — including its documents, spreadsheets, and presentation tools.
The post is being seen as both a symbolic and practical endorsement of homegrown digital services at a time when global software ecosystems dominate India’s market.
Zoho Founder’s Response
Zoho’s co-founder and CEO Sridhar Vembu quickly responded, calling the minister’s endorsement a “huge morale boost” for his team.
“Thank you Sir, this is a huge morale boost for our engineers who have worked hard for over two decades to build our product suite. We will make you proud and make our nation proud. Jai Hind,” Vembu posted.
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Zoho, headquartered in Chennai with a strong global footprint, has been at the forefront of India’s SaaS (software-as-a-service) sector, competing with international giants by offering a wide range of productivity and enterprise applications.
Zoho’s Technology Edge
Among its popular products is Zoho Sheet, which integrates AI-powered analytics through its digital assistant Zia, enabling advanced data visualization across nearly 40 chart types. Zoho’s product ecosystem includes CRM, HR, finance, and other enterprise tools, making it one of India’s most successful tech companies on the global stage.
Industry experts note that the minister’s move may encourage greater adoption of Indian SaaS platforms by both public and private sector organisations, reducing reliance on foreign-owned productivity suites.
Push for Self-Reliance in Digital Infrastructure
The announcement reflects a growing emphasis within the government to promote Swadeshi digital ecosystems and achieve self-reliance in technology infrastructure. By choosing Zoho over global alternatives, Vaishnaw has highlighted the government’s intent to lead by example in encouraging citizens and institutions to adopt local digital products.
Analysts say such endorsements could pave the way for policy-level incentives, creating an enabling environment for Indian SaaS firms to expand their footprint domestically and internationally.
