what makes Sarvam’s indus App Unique in the AI Market

Updated On: February 21, 2026 7:18 pm

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Sarvam, an Indian AI startup focused on building models for local languages and users, on Friday launched its Indus chat app for web and mobile users, entering a fast-growing market dominated by global players including OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google.

The launch comes as India has become a key battleground for generative AI adoption. Recently, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said ChatGPT has more than 100 million weekly active users in India, while Anthropic said India accounts for 5.8% of total Claude usage, second only to the U.S.

Indus serves as a chat interface for its newly announced Sarvam 105B model, the company’s 105-billion-parameter large language model. The app’s launch comes two days after Bengaluru-based Sarvam unveiled its 105B and 30B models at the India AI Impact Summit in New Delhi earlier this week. At the summit, the startup also outlined enterprise initiatives and hardware plans and announced partnerships with companies including HMD to bring AI to Nokia feature phones and Bosch for AI-enabled automotive applications.

Currently available in beta on iOS, Android, and the web, the Indus app allows users to type or speak queries and receive responses in text and audio. Users can sign in using their phone number, Google or Microsoft account, or Apple ID, though the service appears to be limited to India for now.

The app currently comes with some limitations. 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 response times. Sarvam has also warned that access may be restricted as it gradually expands its compute capacity.

“We’re gradually rolling out Indus on a limited compute capacity, so you may hit a waitlist at first. We will expand access over time,” Sarvam co-founder Pratyush Kumar wrote on X, adding that the company is seeking feedback from users.

Founded in 2023, Sarvam has raised $41 million to date from investors, including Lightspeed Venture Partners, Peak XV Partners, and Khosla Ventures as it builds large language models tailored for India.

Sarvam is one of a small but growing group of Indian startups attempting to build domestic alternatives to global artificial intelligence platforms as India seeks greater control over its AI infrastructure.

With the introduction of its Indus chat app for online and mobile users on Friday, Sarvam, an Indian AI startup that specializes in creating models for regional languages and users, entered a rapidly expanding sector that is controlled by multinational firms like Google, Anthropic, and OpenAI.

The announcement coincides with India emerging as a major front in the deployment of generative AI. Indus serves as a chat interface for the company’s recently unveiled Sarvam 105B model, which is a 105-billion-parameter large language model. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman recently stated that ChatGPT has over 100 million weekly active users in India, while Anthropic stated that India accounts for 5.8% of total Claude usage, second only to the U.S. The app was released two days after Bengaluru-based Sarvam presented its 105B and 30B models earlier this week at the India AI Impact Summit in New Delhi. The startup also presented hardware plans and enterprise strategies during the summit, and it announced collaborations with companies like Bosch for AI-enabled automotive applications and HMD to bring AI to Nokia feature phones.

The Indus app, which is now in beta on iOS, Android, and the web, lets users speak or type questions and get text and audio answers. Although the service seems to be restricted to India for the time being, users can log in using their phone number, Google or Microsoft account, or Apple ID.

There are presently some restrictions on the app. There is no way to off the app’s reasoning feature, which occasionally slows down communication, and users cannot remove their chat history without also deleting their account.

 Sarvam launched its Indus chat app for web and mobile users, entering the fast-growing generative AI market dominated by Google, Anthropic, and OpenAI.

 The app is powered by Sarvam’s Sarvam 105B, a 105-billion-parameter large language model, recently introduced along with a 30B model.

 The launch highlights India’s rising importance in generative AI adoption.

Sam Altman noted ChatGPT has 100M+ weekly active users in India.
Anthropic’s Claude sees 5.8% of total usage from India, second only to the U.S.

 Sarvam showcased its models, hardware roadmap, and enterprise plans at the India AI Impact Summit in New Delhi.

 The company announced partnerships with: