Amid H-1B visa fee hike, Vaishnaw says switching to ‘desi’ Zoho for office work

As the US tightens its visa norms, affecting Indian tech workers, New Delhi has decided to respond in its own way.

Electronics and Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Monday announced that he would be switching to Zoho — an Indian office suite, which is a competitor to the US’ Microsoft and Google.

“I am moving to Zoho — our own ‘swadeshi’ platform for documents, spreadsheets, presentations. I urge all to join PM Narendra Modi’s call for ‘swadeshi’ by adopting indigenous products and services,” Vaishnaw said on X.

Earlier, in his Independence Day address, PM Modi had urged Indian entrepreneurs to create home-grown social media platforms. The call was part of his push for self-reliance across sectors to build a developed India. Notably, China has its own digital infrastructure.