Ashwini Vaishnaw backs homegrown Mappls app, calls it a ‘great Swadeshi innovation’
The endorsement comes as part of a broader effort by Vaishnaw to promote Indian-made software.
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Union IT and Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has publicly endorsed the indigenous navigation app Mappls, developed by Indian digital mapping company MapmyIndia, describing it as a “great Swadeshi app”.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Vaishnaw shared that he had tested the app while travelling in his car and praised its innovative features. “Mappls by MapmyIndia is a great Swadeshi app. Let’s use more such apps and support our own ecosystem,” the minister wrote.
MapmyIndia responded to the minister’s post with appreciation, saying, “Thank you Hon’ble Minister @AshwiniVaishnaw ji for your kind words and support for #Swadeshi #Aatmanirbhar apps like #Mappls. We are committed to building world-class indigenous technology for India and the world.”
Swadeshi ‘Mappls’ by MapmyIndia ????????
— Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) October 11, 2025
Good features…must try! pic.twitter.com/bZOPgvrCxW
Mappls, a homegrown alternative to global navigation platforms such as Google Maps, offers a range of features including real-time traffic updates, 3D maps, and hyperlocal search. The app aligns with the government’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative, which seeks to promote digital sovereignty and reduce dependence on foreign technology ecosystems.
The endorsement comes as part of a broader effort by Vaishnaw to promote Indian-made software. Recently, the minister announced that he had switched to Zoho’s office suite, using the company’s online tools for documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. Sharing the update on X, he said the move was a step towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for “Swadeshi” adoption, encouraging the use of indigenous technology and services.
With senior government officials increasingly championing homegrown digital platforms, MapmyIndia’s Mappls app stands as a symbol of India’s growing technological self-reliance and innovation in the digital ecosystem.
