After feedback from Skype users in India, Microsoft launched a ‘lite’ version of the video calling and messaging app designed to work in challenging network conditions using less data and less power.

Android users in India can download the 13MB app for free and it is available in seven local languages.

Microsoft said this is its fastest and smallest Skype app to date, built in India and specifically designed with the country in mind with features like SMS filtering, mobile data and Wi-Fi usage monitoring, and “India-focused Skype bots”.

In contrast to the regular Skype app, Skype Lite uses less data to send messages, and make voice or video calls, which saves customers money on data charges. It also compresses large files and requires less battery power.

By using less data to perform vital functions, Microsoft said the app runs far more smoothly on 2G or in challenging network conditions.

Microsoft also plans to integrate Aadhaar, India’s national digital identity scheme, to the app by June which will enable users to verify the identity of unknown callers “in a variety of situations where identification verification is required, including job interviews”.

The company said it has “a growing base of consumers who use Skype in India” and it appears to be betting big on the country, where internet access is predicted to grow faster than anywhere else.

Other tech giants have also shown interest in India: Google rolled out YouTube Go, intended to work in areas with limited connectivity, while Apple reached a deal to start assembling lower-priced iPhones in the country.

Facebook also launched a version of its app for Android users which consumes less data and is suitable for networks in emerging markets. Earlier this month, it hit 200 million users.