Jeremy Bowen
India’s AI field sees a new entry with Bengaluru-based startup Sarvam AI, which has unveiled its AI chatbot app, Indus.
India-based Sarvam AI is a rapidly growing company. It has launched its AI chatbot app, Indus. The Indus AI app may give competition to well-known AI tools like ChatGPT and Google Gemini.
Sarvam, an Indian AI startup focused on creating models for local languages and users. Its Indus chat app launched on Friday for web and mobile users, stepping into a quickly growing market led by global companies including Anthropic, OpenAI, and Google.
It is currently available in beta on Android, iOS, and the web. The Indus app lets users type or speak questions and receive answers in text and audio. Its beta version entry into India’s consumer AI assistant market has become a trend in the news. Indian AI startup Sarvam AI has now entered the consumer space with Indus, a new chat app available in beta.
Top features of Indus AI and more explained
Sarvam’s India-focused approach could help it stand out in a market where 22 official languages and cultural differences matter. The reveal shows India’s AI system is moving from infrastructure work to products made for everyday users.
As global AI leaders compete to reach India’s huge user base, Sarvam is betting that homegrown models trained on Indian languages and cultural understanding will connect better where one-size-fits-all solutions fail.
The timing is very strategic. India has become a central place for global AI competition. With OpenAI reporting very fast growth in the region, and Google strengthening its localized AI features.
What makes Indus different?
Indus is built especially for Indian users. One of its biggest highlights is support for many Indian languages. Users can chat in Hindi, Punjabi, English, and several other regional languages. The app also lets users switch between languages in the same conversation.
The app supports voice commands as well, which means users can speak to it instead of typing.
Like other AI chatbots, Indus can search the web and answer questions on different subjects.
- AI agents: These can assist automate small tasks.
- File support: Users can upload images, PDFs, and documents. The app can read them and answer questions based on the queries.
- Writing tools: Indus can help users write and edit content directly inside the app.
These features and specs aim to make Indus useful for students, everyday users, professionals, and children.
Powered by Indian AI Models
Sarvam recently brought its own large language models to the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi earlier this week – Sarvam-30B and Sarvam-105B. These are AI systems created in India. They are expected to run the Indus app.
Indus works as a chat interface for its newly announced Sarvam 105B model, the company’s 105-billion-parameter large language model.
If this continues as planned, Indus could become one of the first major consumer AI apps in India built on a locally developed AI model.
That base now powers Indus, giving the chat app the language ability to handle Indian languages naturally instead of using awkward translation layers.
How to download Indus AI??
Users can download Indus from the Android and iOS app stores.
After installing the app, they must sign up using their phone number.
Users can sign in using their phone number, Google or Microsoft account, or Apple ID, though the service seems limited to India for now.
However, not everyone can use it immediately because the company put a waitlist system in place. So users need to send an invite or approval request before getting full access.
“We are gradually rolling out Indus on limited computing capacity, so you may see a waitlist at first. We will expand access over time,” Sarvam co-founder Pratyush Kumar wrote on X, adding that the company is looking for feedback from users.
The app currently has some limits. Users cannot delete their chat history without deleting their account, and there is no option to turn off the app’s reasoning feature, which can sometimes slow responses.
Sarvam has also warned that access may be restricted as it slowly increases its computing capacity.
Market Competition and Industry Context
The launch comes as India has become an important place for generative AI growth.
Recently, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said ChatGPT has more than 100 million weekly active users in India, while Anthropic said India makes up 5.8% of total Claude usage, second only to the U.S.
OpenAI has seen huge adoption in India, while Google uses its strong position through Android and Search to push Gemini integration.
But both companies face the challenge of adjusting global products to local needs.
Founded in 2023, Sarvam has raised $41 million so far from investors, including Lightspeed Venture Partners, Peak XV Partners, and Khosla Ventures, as it builds large language models designed for India.
Sarvam is one of a small but growing group of Indian startups trying to create domestic alternatives to global artificial intelligence platforms as India looks for greater control over its AI infrastructure.
The Indian AI startup ecosystem has been growing rapidly, with venture capital flowing into companies building India-specific AI solutions.
The country’s AI market is expected to reach $7.8 billion by 2025, according to industry estimates, and consumer applications represent the next major stage after enterprise adoption.
What happens next will likely depend on user response and Sarvam’s ability to expand. Sarvam AI’s Indus launch represents more than just another chat app entering a crowded market. For Indian users, it means more choice and possibly better-suited AI assistants.
