A CLOSER LOOK Google has set up India-specific versions of its Local Search and Local Business Center programs. The company also introduced its Google Labs India, for products that are in development and require feedback for improvement. The Google India Labs Web site will feature two new test versions for Indian users: an Indic On-Screen Keyboard “iGoogle” gadget and Google Indic translation. Quote: “Our vision for India’s 60th year of independence is to empower our Indian users by providing organized, easily accessible information and products,” said Prasad Ram, Google India’s research and development chief.

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. — Google Inc. has gone local in India. The Internet search giant recently introduced a collection of technologies to Indian Web users for use in search queries that will generate content in local languages.

Google set up India-specific versions of its Local Search and Local Business Center programs and introduced its Google Labs India, which the company styles as a "technology playground," for products that are in development and require market feedback to improve. The Mountain View-based company released the three programs Aug. 15, to mark the 60th anniversary of India's independence.

Google India spokesperson Roli Agarwal said the local adaptation of Google Labs will focus on products for the Indian market, though some of them may be developed by Google research and development teams located outside India. The Google India Labs Web site will feature two new beta, or test versions, for users to try out: an Indic On-Screen Keyboard "iGoogle" gadget and Google Indic translation.

The India search program will enable users to search for information on local businesses like restaurants, shops and lodging, while Google India Business Center will serve as a gateway for businesses to add their information to Google Local Search. The company has already developed numerous other country-specific Local Business Center programs, providing businesses the opportunity to market their products and services to a larger audience.

"Local Search and Local Business Center will provide our users with better local business results by increasing the corpus and depth of business listings, and benefit local businesses by ensuring visibility on the Internet for free," Google India product chief Vinay Goel said.

Google has designed its India Labs Web site to show off innovations that are of interest to the Indian market and to provide users a glimpse into the company's future offerings. The embedded Indic On-Screen Keyboard program is capable of translating search queries in 14 different languages, while the Google Indic Translation gadget allows the users to compose words in Hindi by typing phonetically equivalent English on a standard computer keyboard. The program is versatile — users can create Hindi content and apply it to e-mail, documents and so on. Google Indic Translation works by learning from corrections made by users.

"Our vision for India's 60th year of independence is to empower our Indian users by providing organized, easily accessible information and products which encourage the creation and consumption of locally relevant content," Prasad Ram, Google India research and development chief, said. "India labs is one such effort that will enable users to test and provide valuable feedback on products that are most relevant to them."

Google has developed the programs in response to surging Internet usage among Indians. ComScore Networks Inc., an Internet market research company, reported in March that the Indian Internet population grew at a rate of 33 percent last year, making it the fastest-growing country of Internet users. India had over 21 million users over 15 years of age at the end of January 2007, compared to 16 million in January 2006.

"The market in India is changing rapidly — more people are coming online as the infrastructure for growth quickly expands," Agarwal said. "Users in India are taking to the Internet for day-to-day activities. From shopping to travel to banking to job-hunting to news to purchasing movie tickets, the Internet is slowly but steadily becoming an important medium for Indians."

Google India's business is growing in concert with a rise in India's Internet population. Agarwal declined to provide specific figures on the company's growth, citing company policy; however, she did say that Google India plays an important role in advancing Google's technology and market presence and in serving its customers worldwide.

"Google and Google products have received a very encouraging response from users in India," she said. "We are committed to investing more resources to address the unique needs of our local users."

To meet the increased demand for its services in India, Google his hired more engineers and plans to add more localized products and services for its advertisers and users. Google also plans to build a new facility in the state of Andhra Pradesh to accommodate the company's expanding operations in India. Google signed an agreement in May with the Andhra Pradesh government to buy land in Hyderabad.

Supervising Google India's operations is Shailesh Rao, whom the company appointed the division's managing director in late March. Before taking over the top post at Google India, Rao served as director of Google's worldwide Local Search business at the company's headquarters.

Sukhinder Singh Cassidy, vice president of Google Inc.'s Asia Pacific and Latin-American operations, said that Rao symbolized Google's continued investments in India.

"We have received a very encouraging response from users in India and Shailesh's appointment will be instrumental during this period of growth and development," she said.