Mobile handset vendor INQ Mobile, backed Hong Kong's Hutchison Whampoa, plans to launch the INQ Mini 3G and the INQ Chat 3G phones in India in co-operation with Aircel. The operator expects to use the devices to tap into the dynamic growth of social networking in India.  The models have been exclusively customised with CricInfo, an application aimed at cricket fans, and the Orkut social application.

Horn please! INQ has arrived in one of the biggest and most exciting mobile markets in the world: INDIA! Both the INQ Mini 3G and Chat 3G are now on sale across the country.

The numbers of Indians signing up to Facebook and Twitter has been incredible over the last 12 months, with Facebook now the most visited social networking site in India. So we’re really excited about reaching the millions of people who love communicating via social networks but have so far had to connect via a PC.

Today in New Delhi, CEO Frank Meehan presented INQ to the Indian media. The event organised in collaboration with Aircel, India’s most progressive network operator, and the network the INQ phones will be available on.

We’ve specially customised our phones for India with two important additions: the introduction of CricInfo as one of the widgets to satisfy the millions of cricket-obsessed Indians; and Orkut has also been added to make the INQ handsets the primary social tool for those in India.

There’s going to be a lot of exciting news from INQ in India. To be the first in the know, check out our Twitter page for the latest on what we’re up to.