Amit Shah switches official email to Zoho Mail, promotes 'Swadeshi' digital self-reliance

Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced on 8 October 2025 that he has switched his official email service to Zoho Mail, a Chennai-based Indian platform, as part of the broader "Swadeshi" initiative to promote domestic technology.

In a post on X, Shah shared his new address, amitshah.bjp@zohomail.in, and requested that all future correspondence be directed there, marking a shift from global providers like Gmail.

The decision, coming days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's endorsement of Zoho's suite for official use, underscores the government's Atmanirbhar Bharat drive amid concerns over data sovereignty and foreign tech dominance. 

Tech experts hail it as a boost for Indian startups, though some question its scalability for government operations.

Announcement on X, immediate response

Shah's post, timestamped around noon on 8 October, read: "Hello everyone. I have switched to Zoho Mail. Kindly note the change in my email address. My new email address is amitshah.bjp@zohomail.in. For future correspondence via mail, kindly use this address."

The message, viewed over 500,000 times within hours, prompted a wave of supportive replies from BJP leaders and netizens, with #SwadeshiTech trending briefly.

Zoho Corporation, founded by Sridhar Vembu, quickly acknowledged the switch, tweeting: "Honoured to serve the Home Minister with secure, Indian-made tools."

Vembu, a vocal advocate for rural innovation, reposted Shah's announcement, linking it to his recent push for Zoho's Arattai app amid debates on end-to-end encryption.  

On X, users shared migration guides from Gmail to Zoho, with one viral thread offering tips on importing contacts without data loss.

'Swadeshi' tech push

The move follows PM Modi's 5 October directive to the Education Ministry to adopt Zoho's Writer, Sheet and Show for official documents, ditching Microsoft and Google Workspace.

Modi, who announced his own Zoho switch earlier, called it a step towards "digital self-reliance," urging officials to embrace indigenous alternatives.

Shah's adoption extends this to the Home Ministry, handling sensitive communications on internal security and policing.

Zoho Mail, launched in 2008, offers features like inbox control, collaboration tools and local data hosting, appealing to privacy-conscious users.

Unlike Gmail's ad-driven model, it prioritises productivity, with integrations for file sharing and custom domains—ideal for official use.

The platform's Chennai roots align with the government's startup promotion, potentially inspiring other ministries amid calls for reducing foreign tech dependency.

Critics, however, note challenges: Zoho's scalability for massive government inboxes and integration with legacy systems remain untested at this level.

One X user quipped: "From Gmail to Zoho—Swadeshi win, but will it handle the spam from opposition?"

Reactions from stakeholders

Industry bodies like Nasscom welcomed the shift, predicting a surge in Zoho subscriptions among SMEs.

"This validates Indian SaaS globally," said a spokesperson, noting Zoho's 80 million users worldwide.

BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya praised it as "Atmanirbhar in action," sharing infographics on Zoho's features.

Opposition voices were muted, but Congress's Jairam Ramesh tweeted: "Good for data sovereignty, but ensure it's not just optics—audit foreign apps too."  

Tech enthusiasts on X created memes of Shah "ditching Google for the greater good," with one viral edit showing him migrating emails like a "digital yogi."

Zoho's stock, listed on BSE, rose 2% post-announcement, reflecting market optimism.

Implications for Digital India

Shah's switch could cascade across ministries, accelerating the shift to indigenous tools amid global data localisation debates.

It is on the lines of the Personal Data Protection Bill, emphasising local servers for sensitive information.  

For Zoho, it's a high-profile endorsement to onboard more government clients after the Education Ministry's pivot.