Sarvam Enters India’s AI Race With Launch of Indus Chat App
India Emerges as a Key Front in the Global AI Battle
Indian artificial intelligence startup Sarvam has officially stepped into the crowded generative AI space with the launch of Indus, a new chat application now available on web and mobile platforms. The company, which focuses on building AI models tailored to Indian languages and local users, is entering a market currently led by global heavyweights such as OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google.
The timing is significant. India has rapidly become one of the most important markets for generative AI adoption worldwide. According to OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, ChatGPT has more than 100 million weekly active users in India, highlighting the country’s scale and strategic importance. Meanwhile, Anthropic has disclosed that India accounts for 5.8% of total Claude usage, making it the platform’s second-largest market after the United States.
Indus Powered by Sarvam’s 105B Language Model
Indus functions as the front-end interface for Sarvam 105B, the startup’s flagship 105-billion-parameter large language model. The app was released just two days after Sarvam introduced both its 105B and 30B models at the India AI Impact Summit held in New Delhi earlier this week.
During the summit, the Bengaluru-based company outlined broader ambitions beyond consumer chat tools. Sarvam shared details about upcoming enterprise initiatives, future hardware plans, and new strategic partnerships. These include collaborations with HMD to bring AI capabilities to Nokia feature phones, as well as Bosch, focusing on AI-enabled automotive applications.
Features, Access, and Current Limitations
Now available in beta on iOS, Android, and the web, the Indus app allows users to submit questions via text or voice, receiving responses in both written and audio formats. Users can sign in using a phone number, Google or Microsoft accounts, or Apple ID. At present, access appears to be limited to users within India.
However, the early release comes with some constraints. Users are currently unable to delete individual chat histories without removing their entire account, and there is no option to disable the app’s reasoning feature—something that can occasionally slow response times. Sarvam has also cautioned that availability may be restricted as the company scales its infrastructure.
“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 actively seeking user feedback.
Funding and the Push for Domestic AI Platforms
Founded in 2023, Sarvam has raised $41 million in funding so far. Its investor base includes Lightspeed Venture Partners, Peak XV Partners, and Khosla Ventures, backing the company’s mission to build large language models specifically designed for India’s linguistic and cultural diversity.
Sarvam is part of a growing wave of Indian startups aiming to develop home-grown alternatives to global AI platforms, as the country increasingly prioritises sovereignty over its AI infrastructure and data. With Indus, the startup is positioning itself as both a consumer-facing AI provider and a foundational technology partner for enterprises across multiple sectors.
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