Zoho Founder Sridhar Vembu Clarifies Data, Hosting, And Development Concerns

Zoho founder Sridhar Vembu recently took to X (formerly Twitter) to address some confusion around where Zoho products are developed, where customer data is stored, and who manages it. His message comes at a time when Indian users are increasingly curious about homegrown apps and data security.

There are questions about where Zoho is developed and where the data is hosted and who hosts it. There is a lot of false information we want to correct.1. All the products are developed in India. Our global headquarters is in Chennai and we pay taxes in India on our global...

- Sridhar Vembu (@svembu) September 30, 2025

Made in India, Developed for the World

Vembu emphasized that all Zoho products are developed right here in India.“Our global headquarters is in Chennai, and we pay taxes in India on our global income,” he said. While Zoho has offices in over 80 countries and a strong presence in the U.S., the heart of the company-the actual product development-happens in India.

Customer Data Stays Local

When it comes to data privacy, Vembu was clear: Indian customer data is hosted within India, in Mumbai, Delhi, and Chennai, with plans to expand to Odisha. Globally, Zoho has over 18 data centers, and each stores data relevant to its country or region.“We are committed to keeping each country's data in its own jurisdiction,” he added, reassuring users about privacy.

Control Over Hardware and Software

Zoho runs its services on hardware it owns and software frameworks it has built, with open-source technologies like Linux OS and Postgres as a foundation. Vembu clarified that Zoho does not host its products on major cloud platforms like AWS or Azure. Even Arattai, Zoho's messaging app, is fully managed on its own infrastructure. Some external services are used only for faster traffic routing, but customer data never leaves Zoho's control.

Why the U.S. Address on App Stores?

Vembu also addressed why Zoho's developer accounts on the App Store and Play Store list a U.S. address. He explained that in the early days, a U.S.-based employee registered the account just for testing purposes, and the address was never updated.

A Proudly Indian Global Company

Wrapping up, Vembu wrote,“We are proudly 'Made in India, Made for the World,' and we mean it.” His clarifications come as a reminder that Zoho is committed to creating secure, reliable, and globally competitive products from India.

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