Yesterday The Wall Street Journal Asia launched a locally printed edition in India along with a regional Journal online homepage for the country as part of the paper's plans to expand within the Asian market.

News Corp., which purchased the Journal in 2007, has pushed for an expansion of news and editorial content into the rapidly growing Asia-Pacific marketplace, the company said. Efforts to expand coverage and visibility in these markets have included the redesign of the Journal's Chinese-language Web site, which debuted in December, and the launch of a Japanese-language site later this year, as well as efforts to reach Indian readers.

Printing the Wall Street Journal Asia in New Delhi and Mumbai means the paper will be available on newsstands in the country's major cities and delivered to individual and corporate subscribers the same day. This is the first time the paper will be available at daybreak in India, pointed out Wall Street Journal Asia publisher Christine Brendle.

Full release after the jump

The Wall Street Journal Asia Commences Printing in India

Same-Day Distribution to Major Cities From Print Sites in
New Delhi and Mumbai

HONG KONG, May 18, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Wall Street Journal Asia, the region's leading international business newspaper, today commenced printing in India. The Wall Street Journal Asia will be printed Mondays through Fridays by The Express Group at print sites in New Delhi and Mumbai. The paper will be delivered the same day to individual and corporate subscribers and will be available at newsstands in major Indian cities.

The launch of the locally printed edition follows the Indian government's decision earlier this year to allow foreign investment in the publication of facsimile editions of foreign newspapers and its approval of Dow Jones & Company's proposal to publish a facsimile edition of The Wall Street Journal Asia in India. Today's launch also follows the debut in February of a new regional Journal online homepage for India (www.india.wsj.com) and WSJ.com Mobile Reader.

Since News Corp. acquired Dow Jones in 2007, the company has invested in the Asia-Pacific marketplace with the expansion of news and editorial content, including the debut in September 2008 of WSJ., a new glossy lifestyle magazine distributed with all Asia editions of the paper; the redesign, unveiled in December 2008, of the Journal's Chinese-language Web site (http://chinese.wsj.com); the launch in February 2009 of an expanded Web site dedicated to content for Asia
(http://asia.wsj.com) and the regional introduction of WSJ.com Mobile Reader; and later this year, the launch of a Japanese-language Web site featuring Wall Street Journal and other Dow Jones print and online content.

"Journal readers in India now have access to actionable and insightful news and information from the most respected name in financial journalism," said Todd Larsen, chief operating officer, Dow Jones Consumer Media Group. "This latest investment in our brand is part of Dow Jones's commitment to growing our business in India and across Asia at a time when a number of media owners are retrenching."

"We are delighted to better serve our readers by making The Wall Street Journal Asia available at daybreak for the first time in India," said Christine Brendle, managing director, Asia, Dow Jones Consumer Media Group and publisher of The Wall Street Journal Asia.

"Today's launch is a truly significant milestone in recognition of India's increasingly prominent role on the world economic stage," said Suman Dubey, editor and publisher of WSJ Publishing India PL. "There is unprecedented demand for business and financial news among India's business, opinion and community leaders, who need authoritative and trusted news and analysis about the global economy and international affairs."

The Wall Street Journal Asia, which was founded in 1976 and has a total circulation of 80,090 (Hong Kong ABC, July-Dec 2008), is also printed at nine other locations in the Asia-Pacific region.