(SAN FRANCISCO) MySpace officially launched in India yesterday as the world's most popular social networking website strives to fend off fast-growing rival Facebook in the international arena.

MySpace India is an online community tailored to that country's culture and boasts industry alliances including a partnership with India's largest television network Star TV.

'We're thrilled today to be launching MySpace in one of the world's most vibrant cultures,' said the News Corporation-owned firm's international managing director, Travis Katz.

'We will be providing the people of India the tools they need to live their lives online and . . . a launch pad for Indian creators, from developers to musicians to filmmakers, to showcase their talents on the global stage.'

A national college talent search programme called 'Campus Star' is broadcast on Star TV and features judging by celebrities and members of a MySpace audience.

MySpace will host an event in Bangalore on April 21 for local software developers it wants to inspire to create hip, useful or fun applications for people to use on website profile pages.

It has hosted similar local 'devJam' or developer jam events in China, Japan, Australia, Britain, Sweden and the United States.

The unveiling of MySpace India comes two days after the US firm launched a locally customised South Korean version of the website.

MySpace founder Chris DeWolfe was optimistic while kicking off the South Korean social networking website, saying that it took lessons from Internet firms that had trouble getting traction in that country. MySpace first went international by moving into Europe in 2006 and now has websites serving 25 countries including France, Russia, Australia and Japan.

Its rival Facebook has set out to boost its global popularity by making itself available in different languages, launching French, Spanish and German websites since the start of the year.

MySpace and its roster of about 110 million users still dominates the US market but fresh data from industry-tracker comScore indicates that Facebook is closing the gap with MySpace when it comes to international visitors.

A majority of Facebook users live outside the United States, with a third based in Europe. France has the sixth largest community after United States, Britain, Canada, Turkey and Australia, the site says.

ComScore listed Facebook among the websites with the fastest rising number of visitors in 2007. -- AFP

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