On October 8, 2025, Union Home Minister Amit Shah made a surprising announcement — he has switched his official email address and adopted Zoho Mail, an Indian email service, for his communications. He asked everyone to use his new address: amitshah.bjp@zohomail.in for all future correspondence.

This move is getting attention — not just because of a high-profile switch, but also because it signals a push toward using domestic digital platforms and strengthening data security. In this article, we explain in simple language what Zoho Mail is, why it could be a smart choice, and what makes it stand out.

What Is Zoho Mail?

• Zoho Corporation, headquartered in Chennai, India, is a tech company that offers many software services (productivity, office tools, etc.).
• Zoho Mail is its email product. It is designed for both personal and business use.
• One of its important claims is that it is ad-free — the free version doesn’t show advertisements, and Zoho says it doesn’t mine email content to show ads.
• It also provides features such as calendar, contacts, tasks, notes integrated with the email.

Why Did Amit Shah Switch? What’s the Significance?

1. Digital Sovereignty / Swadeshi Push
   Shah’s switch is being viewed as a symbolic endorsement of “Made in India” technology. It aligns with the government’s push for reducing dependence on foreign platforms and promoting homegrown solutions.
2. Security & Data Control
   By using an Indian service, the data might remain, more strictly, under Indian jurisdiction. For people worried about foreign platforms accessing data or being subject to foreign laws, this looks safer.
3. Public Signal & Influence
   When a prominent leader switches, it sends a message. It can influence institutions, organizations, and citizens to consider alternatives to global giants.

What Makes Zoho Mail Special? Features & Advantages

Let’s break down its strong points:

1. Privacy and No Ads

Zoho claims it will never sell your data to advertisers. Also, in the free version, there is no advertisement in your mailbox. This is a big differentiator from many free email services where your data helps power ads.

2. Encryption & Security

• Zoho supports encryption in transit and at rest. This helps protect emails while they move between servers and while stored on Zoho’s servers.
• It also supports S/MIME (a kind of digital signature / encryption standard) for stronger message-level protection.
• To access your account, you can enable two-factor authentication (2FA) — e.g. using Zoho’s OneAuth app, QR code, or push notification.
• Every account has a private encryption key, making messages more secure.

3. Data Centers & Local Hosting

Zoho maintains data centers in many countries, and importantly for Indian users, data for Indian accounts is stored within India. This reduces risks about cross-border data flow and ensures compliance with local laws.

4. Flexible Plans & Scalability

Zoho offers a free plan for small users (5 GB per user, up to 5 users in many cases)
If you need more features (like IMAP/POP access, more storage, archive, e-discovery), you can upgrade to paid plans.
Businesses can use custom domain email (so your email is like via Zoho.

5. Integration & Productivity Tools

Zoho Mail is part of a bigger suite. It works well with Zoho’s other apps (documents, sheets, CRM, etc.).
Inside Zoho Mail, you get Calendar, Notes, Tasks, Contacts built in. You can turn parts of an email into tasks or calendar events.
You also have features like email retention, e-discovery (searching stored emails), and admin controls.

6. Reliability & Uptime

Zoho claims its services have strong reliability (for example, “99.9% uptime”) and robust infrastructure.

Are There Any Challenges or Things to Watch?

• The free plan is limited in features. Advanced features come in the paid plans.
• Some users report fewer integrations with non-Zoho tools compared to Gmail or Outlook.
• As with any email service, users must follow good security habits (strong passwords, not clicking suspicious links). Even the best infrastructure can’t help if a user gives away login info.
• In some regions, the free plan’s availability or certain features are limited.

What Do Users Say?

One user on a forum said:

“Yes. I have been using Zoho Mail for past 3 years. Except Zoho, I have not received any spam mail.”

That suggests people appreciate its spam filtering and clean inbox experience.

Why This Switch Matters

• It’s symbolic — a senior government leader choosing a domestic platform sends a message about trust in Indian tech.
• It may ignite interest in Zoho by institutions, private companies, and users who were hesitant earlier.
• It helps “digital sovereignty” — making sure critical communication data is more under national control.
• It supports the “Atmanirbhar Bharat” (self-reliant India) narrative.

How You Can Try Zoho Mail

If you’re curious and want to switch or try it, here’s a simple path:

1. Visit Zoho Mail website and create a free account (or choose a paid plan).
2. Use your email or domain (for business) and verify.
3. Enable security features like 2FA.
4. Move or import your old emails (Zoho provides migration tools).
5. Start using built-in tools (calendar, tasks) and see how the integrated environment feels.

Zoho has help pages, tutorials, and support to guide you.