Indus by Sarvam: A first look at India’s homegrown AI chat app built for local languages

Sarvam AI has made its entry into the consumer chatbot space with the launch of Indus, an innovative AI assistant designed specifically for Indian users and their languages. Following the introduction of its large language models at the India AI Impact Summit, this Bengaluru-based startup has now made these capabilities available to the public through a web and mobile application. Indus first appeared on the Google Play Store on February 19, where users initially encountered a waiting list. However, by February 20, access was granted, allowing users to log in and start interacting with the assistant. Currently in beta, the app is available on Android, iOS, and the web, with sign-in options including a phone number, Google account, or Apple ID. Powered by Sarvam’s prominent model, Indus acts as the public interface for a newly launched 105-billion-parameter model, which was revealed alongside a smaller 30-billion-parameter variant. When engaged in conversation, the assistant informs users that it operates on this model, which has been trained in 22 Indian languages with a focus on local context. Its knowledge base is current as of June 2025. One of the standout features of Indus is its capability to manage both text and voice interactions in multiple Indian languages. During initial testing, queries spoken in languages such as Hindi, Malayalam, Gujarati, or English were responded to in the same language, complete with vocal replies. Though the conversational flow was largely smooth, some minor issues were noted, such as numbers being read in English even when other parts of the response were in a different language. Positioned as more than just a chatbot, Indus serves as a productivity assistant. Within the app, users can: - Draft and edit documents - Upload PDFs and images for analysis - Ask questions about uploaded materials - Generate summaries and explanations - Utilize agent-like tools to automate specific tasks These functionalities support Sarvam's broader ambitions in enterprise and device integration, highlighted by partnerships with HMD for AI on Nokia feature phones and Bosch for automotive applications. Despite its promising features, Indus is not without limitations in its beta phase. Users currently have no option to delete chat history; the only way to remove conversations is by deleting the entire account. Additionally, there is no way to disable the model’s reasoning mode. In conclusion, while Indus may not rival established platforms like ChatGPT for advanced users just yet, it represents a significant step forward for those who think in Hindi, read in Gujarati, or seek an AI that understands the Indian context inherently without the need for extensive explanations.