Sarvam, an Indian AI startup developing models for local languages and users, introduced its Indus chat application for web and mobile platforms on Friday. This move places the company in a rapidly expanding sector currently led by international giants such as OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google. The timing is significant, as India has emerged as a crucial arena for the adoption of generative AI technologies.

Recent statements highlight the market's importance: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman noted that ChatGPT now exceeds 100 million weekly active users in India, while Anthropic reported that the country represents 5.8% of total Claude usage, ranking second only to the United States.

The Indus app functions as a chat interface for Sarvam's newly announced Sarvam 105B model, a large language model with 105 billion parameters. This launch follows the startup's presentation of its 105B and 30B models at the India AI Impact Summit in New Delhi earlier in the week.

During the summit, Sarvam also detailed its enterprise strategy and hardware roadmap, announcing collaborations with companies like HMD to integrate AI into Nokia feature phones and with Bosch for AI-powered automotive applications.

Currently in beta on iOS, Android, and the web, the Indus application supports typed or spoken queries and delivers responses in both text and audio formats. Users can register using their phone number, Google account, or Apple ID, though the service seems to be initially limited to the Indian market.

The app does have some current limitations. Users cannot delete their chat history without deleting their entire account, and there is no option to disable the reasoning feature, which can occasionally result in slower response times. Sarvam has also indicated that access might be restricted as it methodically scales its computing 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," explained Sarvam co-founder Pratyush Kumar in a post on X, noting that the company is actively seeking user feedback.

Established in 2023, Sarvam has secured $41 million in funding from investors including Lightspeed Venture Partners, Peak XV Partners, and Khosla Ventures. The startup is focused on constructing large language models specifically designed for the Indian context.

Sarvam is part of a small but increasing cohort of Indian startups aiming to create homegrown alternatives to global AI platforms, aligning with India's broader objective of gaining greater sovereignty over its artificial intelligence infrastructure.