diff --git a/crates/rattler_index/Cargo.toml b/crates/rattler_index/Cargo.toml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..558ee00c6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/rattler_index/Cargo.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+[package]
+name = "rattler_index"
+version.workspace = true
+edition.workspace = true
+authors = []
+description = "A crate that indexes directories containing conda packages to create local conda channels"
+categories.workspace = true
+homepage.workspace = true
+repository.workspace = true
+license.workspace = true
+readme.workspace = true
+
+[dependencies]
+fs-err = "2.11.0"
+rattler_conda_types = { version = "0.14.0", path = "../rattler_conda_types", default-features = false }
+rattler_digest = { version = "0.14.0", path = "../rattler_digest", default-features = false }
+rattler_package_streaming = { version = "0.14.0", path = "../rattler_package_streaming", default-features = false }
+serde_json = "1.0.108"
+tracing = "0.1.40"
+walkdir = "2.4.0"
+
+[dev-dependencies]
+tempfile = "3.8.0"
diff --git a/crates/rattler_index/src/lib.rs b/crates/rattler_index/src/lib.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0c3d2bfe2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/rattler_index/src/lib.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,197 @@
+//! Indexing of packages in a output folder to create up to date repodata.json files
+#![deny(missing_docs)]
+
+use rattler_conda_types::package::ArchiveType;
+use rattler_conda_types::package::IndexJson;
+use rattler_conda_types::package::PackageFile;
+use rattler_conda_types::ChannelInfo;
+use rattler_conda_types::PackageRecord;
+use rattler_conda_types::Platform;
+use rattler_conda_types::RepoData;
+use rattler_package_streaming::read;
+use rattler_package_streaming::seek;
+
+use fs_err::File;
+use std::ffi::OsStr;
+use std::io::Read;
+use std::io::Write;
+use std::path::Path;
+use std::path::PathBuf;
+use walkdir::WalkDir;
+
+fn package_record_from_index_json<T: Read>(
+    file: &Path,
+    index_json_reader: &mut T,
+) -> Result<PackageRecord, std::io::Error> {
+    let index = IndexJson::from_reader(index_json_reader)?;
+
+    let sha256_result = rattler_digest::compute_file_digest::<rattler_digest::Sha256>(file)?;
+    let md5_result = rattler_digest::compute_file_digest::<rattler_digest::Md5>(file)?;
+    let size = std::fs::metadata(file)?.len();
+
+    let package_record = PackageRecord {
+        name: index.name,
+        version: index.version,
+        build: index.build,
+        build_number: index.build_number,
+        subdir: index.subdir.unwrap_or_else(|| "unknown".to_string()),
+        md5: Some(md5_result),
+        sha256: Some(sha256_result),
+        size: Some(size),
+        arch: index.arch,
+        platform: index.platform,
+        depends: index.depends,
+        constrains: index.constrains,
+        track_features: index.track_features,
+        features: index.features,
+        noarch: index.noarch,
+        license: index.license,
+        license_family: index.license_family,
+        timestamp: index.timestamp,
+        legacy_bz2_md5: None,
+        legacy_bz2_size: None,
+        purls: Default::default(),
+    };
+    Ok(package_record)
+}
+
+fn package_record_from_tar_bz2(file: &Path) -> Result<PackageRecord, std::io::Error> {
+    let reader = std::fs::File::open(file)?;
+    let mut archive = read::stream_tar_bz2(reader);
+    for entry in archive.entries()?.flatten() {
+        let mut entry = entry;
+        let path = entry.path()?;
+        if path.as_os_str().eq("info/index.json") {
+            return package_record_from_index_json(file, &mut entry);
+        }
+    }
+    Err(std::io::Error::new(
+        std::io::ErrorKind::Other,
+        "No index.json found",
+    ))
+}
+
+fn package_record_from_conda(file: &Path) -> Result<PackageRecord, std::io::Error> {
+    let reader = std::fs::File::open(file)?;
+    let mut archive = seek::stream_conda_info(reader).expect("Could not open conda file");
+
+    for entry in archive.entries()?.flatten() {
+        let mut entry = entry;
+        let path = entry.path()?;
+        if path.as_os_str().eq("info/index.json") {
+            return package_record_from_index_json(file, &mut entry);
+        }
+    }
+    Err(std::io::Error::new(
+        std::io::ErrorKind::Other,
+        "No index.json found",
+    ))
+}
+
+/// Create a new `repodata.json` for all packages in the given output folder. If `target_platform` is
+/// `Some`, only that specific subdir is indexed. Otherwise indexes all subdirs and creates a
+/// `repodata.json` for each.
+pub fn index(
+    output_folder: &Path,
+    target_platform: Option<&Platform>,
+) -> Result<(), std::io::Error> {
+    let entries = WalkDir::new(output_folder).into_iter();
+    let entries: Vec<(PathBuf, ArchiveType)> = entries
+        .filter_entry(|e| e.depth() <= 2)
+        .filter_map(|e| e.ok())
+        .filter_map(|e| {
+            ArchiveType::split_str(e.path().to_string_lossy().as_ref())
+                .map(|(p, t)| (PathBuf::from(format!("{}{}", p, t.extension())), t))
+        })
+        .collect();
+
+    // find all subdirs
+    let mut platforms = entries
+        .iter()
+        .filter_map(|(p, _)| {
+            p.parent()
+                .and_then(|parent| parent.file_name())
+                .and_then(|file_name| {
+                    let name = file_name.to_string_lossy().to_string();
+                    if name != "src_cache" {
+                        Some(name)
+                    } else {
+                        None
+                    }
+                })
+        })
+        .collect::<std::collections::HashSet<_>>();
+
+    // Always create noarch subdir
+    if !output_folder.join("noarch").exists() {
+        std::fs::create_dir(output_folder.join("noarch"))?;
+        platforms.insert("noarch".to_string());
+    }
+
+    // Create target platform dir if needed
+    if let Some(target_platform) = target_platform {
+        let platform_str = target_platform.to_string();
+        if !output_folder.join(&platform_str).exists() {
+            std::fs::create_dir(output_folder.join(&platform_str))?;
+            platforms.insert(platform_str);
+        }
+    }
+
+    for platform in platforms {
+        if let Some(target_platform) = target_platform {
+            if platform != target_platform.to_string() {
+                if platform != "noarch" {
+                    continue;
+                } else {
+                    // check that noarch is already indexed if it is not the target platform
+                    if output_folder.join("noarch/repodata.json").exists() {
+                        continue;
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        let mut repodata = RepoData {
+            info: Some(ChannelInfo {
+                subdir: platform.clone(),
+                base_url: None,
+            }),
+            packages: Default::default(),
+            conda_packages: Default::default(),
+            removed: Default::default(),
+            version: Some(2),
+        };
+
+        for (p, t) in entries.iter().filter_map(|(p, t)| {
+            p.parent().and_then(|parent| {
+                parent.file_name().and_then(|file_name| {
+                    if file_name == OsStr::new(&platform) {
+                        // If the file_name is the platform we're looking for, return Some((p, t))
+                        Some((p, t))
+                    } else {
+                        // Otherwise, we return None to filter out this item
+                        None
+                    }
+                })
+            })
+        }) {
+            let record = match t {
+                ArchiveType::TarBz2 => package_record_from_tar_bz2(p),
+                ArchiveType::Conda => package_record_from_conda(p),
+            };
+            let (Ok(record), Some(file_name)) = (record, p.file_name()) else {
+                tracing::info!("Could not read package record from {:?}", p);
+                continue;
+            };
+            repodata
+                .conda_packages
+                .insert(file_name.to_string_lossy().to_string(), record);
+        }
+        let out_file = output_folder.join(platform).join("repodata.json");
+        File::create(&out_file)?.write_all(serde_json::to_string_pretty(&repodata)?.as_bytes())?;
+    }
+
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+// TODO: write proper unit tests for above functions
diff --git a/crates/rattler_index/tests/test_index.rs b/crates/rattler_index/tests/test_index.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..005b707fc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/rattler_index/tests/test_index.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+use rattler_conda_types::Platform;
+use rattler_index::index;
+use serde_json::Value;
+use std::fs;
+use std::fs::File;
+use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
+
+fn test_data_dir() -> PathBuf {
+    Path::new(env!("CARGO_MANIFEST_DIR")).join("../../test-data")
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn test_index() {
+    let temp_dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+    let subdir_path = Path::new("win-64");
+    let file_path = Path::new("conda-22.11.1-py38haa244fe_1.conda");
+    let index_json_path = Path::new("conda-22.11.1-py38haa244fe_1-index.json");
+    fs::create_dir(temp_dir.path().join(subdir_path)).unwrap();
+    fs::copy(
+        test_data_dir().join(file_path),
+        temp_dir.path().join(subdir_path).join(file_path),
+    )
+    .unwrap();
+
+    let res = index(temp_dir.path(), Some(&Platform::Win64));
+    assert_eq!(res.is_ok(), true);
+
+    let repodata_path = temp_dir.path().join(subdir_path).join("repodata.json");
+    let repodata_json: Value = serde_json::from_reader(File::open(repodata_path).unwrap()).unwrap();
+
+    let expected_repodata_entry: Value =
+        serde_json::from_reader(File::open(test_data_dir().join(index_json_path)).unwrap())
+            .unwrap();
+
+    assert_eq!(
+        repodata_json
+            .get("info")
+            .unwrap()
+            .get("subdir")
+            .unwrap()
+            .as_str(),
+        Some("win-64")
+    );
+    assert_eq!(repodata_json.get("packages").is_some(), true);
+    assert_eq!(
+        repodata_json
+            .get("packages.conda")
+            .unwrap()
+            .get("conda-22.11.1-py38haa244fe_1.conda")
+            .unwrap(),
+        &expected_repodata_entry
+    );
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn test_index_empty_directory() {
+    let temp_dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+    let res = index(temp_dir.path(), None);
+    assert_eq!(res.is_ok(), true);
+    assert_eq!(fs::read_dir(temp_dir).unwrap().count(), 0);
+}
diff --git a/py-rattler/Cargo.lock b/py-rattler/Cargo.lock
index bcf10b27a..512dfa8de 100644
--- a/py-rattler/Cargo.lock
+++ b/py-rattler/Cargo.lock
@@ -718,6 +718,25 @@ dependencies = [
  "percent-encoding",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "fs-err"
+version = "2.11.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "88a41f105fe1d5b6b34b2055e3dc59bb79b46b48b2040b9e6c7b4b5de097aa41"
+dependencies = [
+ "autocfg",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "fslock"
+version = "0.2.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "04412b8935272e3a9bae6f48c7bfff74c2911f60525404edfdd28e49884c3bfb"
+dependencies = [
+ "libc",
+ "winapi",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "funty"
 version = "2.0.0"
@@ -1674,6 +1693,50 @@ dependencies = [
  "indexmap 2.0.2",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "phf"
+version = "0.11.2"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "ade2d8b8f33c7333b51bcf0428d37e217e9f32192ae4772156f65063b8ce03dc"
+dependencies = [
+ "phf_macros",
+ "phf_shared",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "phf_generator"
+version = "0.11.2"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "48e4cc64c2ad9ebe670cb8fd69dd50ae301650392e81c05f9bfcb2d5bdbc24b0"
+dependencies = [
+ "phf_shared",
+ "rand",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "phf_macros"
+version = "0.11.2"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "3444646e286606587e49f3bcf1679b8cef1dc2c5ecc29ddacaffc305180d464b"
+dependencies = [
+ "phf_generator",
+ "phf_shared",
+ "proc-macro2",
+ "quote",
+ "syn 2.0.37",
+ "unicase",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "phf_shared"
+version = "0.11.2"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "90fcb95eef784c2ac79119d1dd819e162b5da872ce6f3c3abe1e8ca1c082f72b"
+dependencies = [
+ "siphasher",
+ "unicase",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "pin-project-lite"
 version = "0.2.13"
@@ -1771,6 +1834,21 @@ dependencies = [
  "unicode-ident",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "purl"
+version = "0.1.2"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "d153044e55fb5c0a6f0f0f974c3335d15a842263ba4b208d2656120fe530a5ab"
+dependencies = [
+ "hex",
+ "percent-encoding",
+ "phf",
+ "serde",
+ "smartstring",
+ "thiserror",
+ "unicase",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "py-rattler"
 version = "0.2.0"
@@ -1783,6 +1861,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "rattler",
  "rattler_conda_types",
  "rattler_digest",
+ "rattler_index",
  "rattler_networking",
  "rattler_repodata_gateway",
  "rattler_shell",
@@ -1923,7 +2002,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "rattler"
-version = "0.12.2"
+version = "0.14.0"
 dependencies = [
  "anyhow",
  "async-compression",
@@ -1962,7 +2041,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "rattler_conda_types"
-version = "0.12.2"
+version = "0.14.0"
 dependencies = [
  "chrono",
  "fxhash",
@@ -1972,6 +2051,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "itertools",
  "lazy-regex",
  "nom",
+ "purl",
  "rattler_digest",
  "rattler_macros",
  "regex",
@@ -1989,7 +2069,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "rattler_digest"
-version = "0.12.2"
+version = "0.14.0"
 dependencies = [
  "blake2",
  "digest",
@@ -2001,9 +2081,22 @@ dependencies = [
  "tokio",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "rattler_index"
+version = "0.14.0"
+dependencies = [
+ "fs-err",
+ "rattler_conda_types",
+ "rattler_digest",
+ "rattler_package_streaming",
+ "serde_json",
+ "tracing",
+ "walkdir",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "rattler_macros"
-version = "0.12.2"
+version = "0.14.0"
 dependencies = [
  "quote",
  "syn 2.0.37",
@@ -2011,15 +2104,17 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "rattler_networking"
-version = "0.12.2"
+version = "0.14.0"
 dependencies = [
  "anyhow",
  "dirs",
+ "fslock",
  "getrandom",
  "itertools",
  "keyring",
  "lazy_static",
  "libc",
+ "once_cell",
  "reqwest",
  "retry-policies",
  "serde",
@@ -2031,7 +2126,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "rattler_package_streaming"
-version = "0.12.2"
+version = "0.14.0"
 dependencies = [
  "bzip2",
  "chrono",
@@ -2053,7 +2148,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "rattler_repodata_gateway"
-version = "0.12.2"
+version = "0.14.0"
 dependencies = [
  "anyhow",
  "async-compression",
@@ -2090,7 +2185,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "rattler_shell"
-version = "0.12.2"
+version = "0.14.0"
 dependencies = [
  "enum_dispatch",
  "indexmap 2.0.2",
@@ -2105,7 +2200,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "rattler_solve"
-version = "0.12.2"
+version = "0.14.0"
 dependencies = [
  "anyhow",
  "chrono",
@@ -2123,7 +2218,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "rattler_virtual_packages"
-version = "0.12.2"
+version = "0.14.0"
 dependencies = [
  "cfg-if",
  "libloading",
@@ -2362,6 +2457,15 @@ version = "0.3.3"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "ef703b7cb59335eae2eb93ceb664c0eb7ea6bf567079d843e09420219668e072"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "same-file"
+version = "1.0.6"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "93fc1dc3aaa9bfed95e02e6eadabb4baf7e3078b0bd1b4d7b6b0b68378900502"
+dependencies = [
+ "winapi-util",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "schannel"
 version = "0.1.22"
@@ -2451,9 +2555,9 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "serde_json"
-version = "1.0.107"
+version = "1.0.108"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "6b420ce6e3d8bd882e9b243c6eed35dbc9a6110c9769e74b584e0d68d1f20c65"
+checksum = "3d1c7e3eac408d115102c4c24ad393e0821bb3a5df4d506a80f85f7a742a526b"
 dependencies = [
  "indexmap 2.0.2",
  "itoa",
@@ -2573,6 +2677,12 @@ dependencies = [
  "libc",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "siphasher"
+version = "0.3.11"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "38b58827f4464d87d377d175e90bf58eb00fd8716ff0a62f80356b5e61555d0d"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "slab"
 version = "0.4.9"
@@ -2591,6 +2701,17 @@ dependencies = [
  "serde",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "smartstring"
+version = "1.0.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "3fb72c633efbaa2dd666986505016c32c3044395ceaf881518399d2f4127ee29"
+dependencies = [
+ "autocfg",
+ "static_assertions",
+ "version_check",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "socket2"
 version = "0.4.9"
@@ -2920,11 +3041,10 @@ checksum = "b6bc1c9ce2b5135ac7f93c72918fc37feb872bdc6a5533a8b85eb4b86bfdae52"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "tracing"
-version = "0.1.37"
+version = "0.1.40"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "8ce8c33a8d48bd45d624a6e523445fd21ec13d3653cd51f681abf67418f54eb8"
+checksum = "c3523ab5a71916ccf420eebdf5521fcef02141234bbc0b8a49f2fdc4544364ef"
 dependencies = [
- "cfg-if",
  "pin-project-lite",
  "tracing-attributes",
  "tracing-core",
@@ -2932,9 +3052,9 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "tracing-attributes"
-version = "0.1.26"
+version = "0.1.27"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "5f4f31f56159e98206da9efd823404b79b6ef3143b4a7ab76e67b1751b25a4ab"
+checksum = "34704c8d6ebcbc939824180af020566b01a7c01f80641264eba0999f6c2b6be7"
 dependencies = [
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
@@ -2943,9 +3063,9 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "tracing-core"
-version = "0.1.31"
+version = "0.1.32"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "0955b8137a1df6f1a2e9a37d8a6656291ff0297c1a97c24e0d8425fe2312f79a"
+checksum = "c06d3da6113f116aaee68e4d601191614c9053067f9ab7f6edbcb161237daa54"
 dependencies = [
  "once_cell",
 ]
@@ -2981,6 +3101,15 @@ dependencies = [
  "winapi",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "unicase"
+version = "2.7.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "f7d2d4dafb69621809a81864c9c1b864479e1235c0dd4e199924b9742439ed89"
+dependencies = [
+ "version_check",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "unicode-bidi"
 version = "0.3.13"
@@ -3060,6 +3189,16 @@ version = "1.1.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "9d5b2c62b4012a3e1eca5a7e077d13b3bf498c4073e33ccd58626607748ceeca"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "walkdir"
+version = "2.4.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "d71d857dc86794ca4c280d616f7da00d2dbfd8cd788846559a6813e6aa4b54ee"
+dependencies = [
+ "same-file",
+ "winapi-util",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "want"
 version = "0.3.1"
@@ -3186,6 +3325,15 @@ version = "0.4.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "ac3b87c63620426dd9b991e5ce0329eff545bccbbb34f3be09ff6fb6ab51b7b6"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "winapi-util"
+version = "0.1.6"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "f29e6f9198ba0d26b4c9f07dbe6f9ed633e1f3d5b8b414090084349e46a52596"
+dependencies = [
+ "winapi",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "winapi-x86_64-pc-windows-gnu"
 version = "0.4.0"
diff --git a/py-rattler/Cargo.toml b/py-rattler/Cargo.toml
index 7ac1c6390..ca66d7282 100644
--- a/py-rattler/Cargo.toml
+++ b/py-rattler/Cargo.toml
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ rattler_virtual_packages = { path = "../crates/rattler_virtual_packages", defaul
 rattler_solve = { path = "../crates/rattler_solve", default-features = false, features = [
     "resolvo",
 ] }
+rattler_index = { path = "../crates/rattler_index" }
 
 pyo3 = { version = "0.19", features = [
     "abi3-py38",
diff --git a/py-rattler/rattler/__init__.py b/py-rattler/rattler/__init__.py
index c25c634a2..bcd727a7c 100644
--- a/py-rattler/rattler/__init__.py
+++ b/py-rattler/rattler/__init__.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 from rattler.platform import Platform
 from rattler.utils.rattler_version import get_rattler_version as _get_rattler_version
 from rattler.linker import link
+from rattler.index import index
 
 __version__ = _get_rattler_version()
 del _get_rattler_version
@@ -42,4 +43,5 @@
     "solve",
     "Platform",
     "link",
+    "index",
 ]
diff --git a/py-rattler/rattler/index/__init__.py b/py-rattler/rattler/index/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9023b5dd1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/py-rattler/rattler/index/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+from rattler.index.index import index
+
+__all__ = ["index"]
diff --git a/py-rattler/rattler/index/index.py b/py-rattler/rattler/index/index.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a55cce8e8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/py-rattler/rattler/index/index.py
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+from __future__ import annotations
+import os
+from typing import Optional
+
+from rattler.platform import Platform
+from rattler.rattler import py_index
+
+
+def index(
+    channel_directory: os.PathLike[str],
+    target_platform: Optional[Platform] = None,
+) -> None:
+    """
+    Indexes dependencies in the `channel_directory` for one or more subdirectories within said directory.
+    Will generate repodata.json files in each subdirectory containing metadata about each present package,
+    or if `target_platform` is specified will only consider the subdirectory corresponding to this platform.
+    Will always index the "noarch" subdirectory, and thus this subdirectory should always be present, because
+    conda channels at a minimum must include this subdirectory.
+
+    Arguments:
+        channel_directory: A `os.PathLike[str]` that is the directory containing subdirectories
+                           of dependencies to index.
+        target_platform(optional): A `Platform` to index dependencies for.
+    """
+    py_index(
+        channel_directory,
+        target_platform._inner if target_platform else target_platform,
+    )
diff --git a/py-rattler/src/index.rs b/py-rattler/src/index.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a551ce69c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/py-rattler/src/index.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+use pyo3::{pyfunction, PyResult, Python};
+use rattler_conda_types::Platform;
+use rattler_index::index;
+
+use std::path::PathBuf;
+
+use crate::{error::PyRattlerError, platform::PyPlatform};
+
+#[pyfunction]
+pub fn py_index(
+    py: Python<'_>,
+    channel_directory: PathBuf,
+    target_platform: Option<PyPlatform>,
+) -> PyResult<()> {
+    py.allow_threads(move || {
+        let path = channel_directory.as_path();
+        match index(path, target_platform.map(Platform::from).as_ref()) {
+            Ok(_v) => Ok(()),
+            Err(e) => Err(PyRattlerError::from(e).into()),
+        }
+    })
+}
diff --git a/py-rattler/src/lib.rs b/py-rattler/src/lib.rs
index 4e944dfae..bddd5c878 100644
--- a/py-rattler/src/lib.rs
+++ b/py-rattler/src/lib.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 mod channel;
 mod error;
 mod generic_virtual_package;
+mod index;
 mod linker;
 mod match_spec;
 mod meta;
@@ -35,6 +36,7 @@ use version::PyVersion;
 
 use pyo3::prelude::*;
 
+use index::py_index;
 use linker::py_link;
 use meta::get_rattler_version;
 use platform::{PyArch, PyPlatform};
@@ -83,6 +85,8 @@ fn rattler(py: Python, m: &PyModule) -> PyResult<()> {
         .unwrap();
     m.add_function(wrap_pyfunction!(py_link, m).unwrap())
         .unwrap();
+    m.add_function(wrap_pyfunction!(py_index, m).unwrap())
+        .unwrap();
 
     // Exceptions
     m.add(
diff --git a/py-rattler/tests/unit/test_index.py b/py-rattler/tests/unit/test_index.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4f4f0752a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/py-rattler/tests/unit/test_index.py
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+# type: ignore
+import os
+from pathlib import Path
+import pytest
+import shutil
+
+from rattler import Platform, index
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def package_directory(tmp_path) -> Path:
+    data_dir = Path(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), "../../../test-data/"))
+
+    win_filename = "ruff-0.0.171-py310h298983d_0.conda"
+    noarch_filename = "pytweening-1.0.4-pyhd8ed1ab_0.tar.bz2"
+    win_subdir = tmp_path / "win-64"
+    noarch_subdir = tmp_path / "noarch"
+    win_subdir.mkdir()
+    noarch_subdir.mkdir()
+    shutil.copy(data_dir / win_filename, win_subdir / win_filename)
+    shutil.copy(data_dir / noarch_filename, noarch_subdir / noarch_filename)
+    return tmp_path
+
+
+def test_index(package_directory):
+    index(package_directory)
+
+    assert set(os.listdir(package_directory)) == {"noarch", "win-64"}
+    assert "repodata.json" in os.listdir(package_directory / "win-64")
+    with open(package_directory / "win-64/repodata.json") as f:
+        assert "ruff-0.0.171-py310h298983d_0" in f.read()
+    assert "repodata.json" in os.listdir(package_directory / "noarch")
+    with open(package_directory / "noarch/repodata.json") as f:
+        assert "pytweening-1.0.4-pyhd8ed1ab_0" in f.read()
+
+
+def test_index_specific_subdir_non_noarch(package_directory):
+    index(package_directory, Platform("win-64"))
+
+    assert "repodata.json" in os.listdir(package_directory / "win-64")
+    with open(package_directory / "win-64/repodata.json") as f:
+        assert "ruff-0.0.171-py310h298983d_0" in f.read()
+    assert "repodata.json" in os.listdir(package_directory / "noarch")
+    with open(package_directory / "noarch/repodata.json") as f:
+        assert "pytweening-1.0.4-pyhd8ed1ab_0" in f.read()
+
+
+def test_index_specific_subdir_noarch(package_directory):
+    index(package_directory, Platform("noarch"))
+
+    win_files = os.listdir(package_directory / "win-64")
+    assert "repodata.json" not in win_files
+    assert "ruff-0.0.171-py310h298983d_0.conda" in win_files
+    assert "repodata.json" in os.listdir(package_directory / "noarch")
+    with open(package_directory / "noarch/repodata.json") as f:
+        assert "pytweening-1.0.4-pyhd8ed1ab_0" in f.read()
diff --git a/test-data/conda-22.11.1-py38haa244fe_1-index.json b/test-data/conda-22.11.1-py38haa244fe_1-index.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7768a8ab2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test-data/conda-22.11.1-py38haa244fe_1-index.json
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+{
+  "arch": "x86_64",
+  "build": "py38haa244fe_1",
+  "build_number": 1,
+  "constrains": [
+    "conda-content-trust >=0.1.1",
+    "cytoolz >=0.8.1",
+    "conda-libmamba-solver >=22.12.0",
+    "conda-env >=2.6",
+    "conda-build >=3"
+  ],
+  "depends": [
+    "conda-package-handling >=1.3.0",
+    "menuinst >=1.4.11,<2",
+    "pluggy >=1.0.0",
+    "pycosat >=0.6.3",
+    "pyopenssl >=16.2.0",
+    "python >=3.8,<3.9.0a0",
+    "python_abi 3.8.* *_cp38",
+    "requests >=2.20.1,<3",
+    "ruamel.yaml >=0.11.14,<0.18",
+    "setuptools >=31.0.1",
+    "toolz >=0.8.1",
+    "tqdm >=4"
+  ],
+  "license": "BSD-3-Clause",
+  "md5": "9987c96161034575f5a9c2be848960c5",
+  "name": "conda",
+  "platform": "win",
+  "sha256": "a8a44c5ff2b2f423546d49721ba2e3e632233c74a813c944adf8e5742834930e",
+  "size": 928900,
+  "subdir": "win-64",
+  "timestamp": 1670456742050,
+  "version": "22.11.1"
+}