Hindustan Times part of Facebook’s Instant Articles launch in India

Facebook’s Instant Articles -- stories from publishers that open near-instantaneously when you tap on them in the Facebook app -- are now available on Android in India.

Instant Articles are hosted right within the Facebook app, so tapping on one opens it, well, instantly.

Facebook's Instant Articles -- stories from publishers that open near-instantaneously when you tap on them in the Facebook app -- are now available on Android in India.

Facebook, which had restricted the feature to iOS devices in the United States and Western Europe, is partnering with five Indian publishers -- Hindustan Times, The Quint, India Today, Aaj Tak, and The Indian Express -- to launch it in India, the company's second-largest market.

These five organisations represent a cross-section of publishers, which will allow Facebook to monitor how different kinds of content is consumed in the Indian market, reports Mint.

"We are launching in India on Android as the country is a heavy Android user market. Besides, Android is designed to be fast; so articles load quickly on Android and thus can be quickly read," said Michael Reckhow, product manager for Instant Articles, in a telephone interview with Mint.

Read more at Mint