Xiaomi Mi 10i to be launched in India on January 5

The Redmi Note 9 Pro 5G (not to be confused with the garden variety Redmi Note 9 Pro) certainly raised some eyebrows upon its launch earlier this year. After all, it was the first-ever Redmi Note-branded smartphone to brandish a 108MP camera sensor. Xiaomi and Redmi fans worldwide were waiting with bated breath for the smartphone to hit international shores. It appears that the highly-lucrative Indian market will be the first to witness the smartphone in all its glory.

Xiaomi India's Managing Director Manu Kumar Jain officially proclaimed on Twitter that the Xiaomi Mi 10i will be launched in India on January 5, 2021. An earlier leak speculated that the Xiaomi Mi 10i would arrive in India as a rebadged Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite. However, subsequent reports suggested that it will be a rebranded Redmi Note 9 Pro 5G instead. The information was further corroborated by its Geekbench listing, which told us that both the Xiaomi Mi 11i and Redmi Note 9 Pro shared the same internal codename. The device has its landing page on Amazon India, which gives us an insight into the phone's specifications.

The Xiaomi Mi 10i can potentially wreak havoc in the Indian market's already hypercompetitive mid-range segment. If its Chinese prices are anything to go by, we can expect the Xiaomi Mi 10i to cost INR 18,000 (US$246) in India. That is quite a steal, considering that you get an arsenal of flagship-tier features like a 120Hz screen. Offerings from competitors such as Realme, Oppo, and Vivo cannot hold a candle to the Xiaomi Mi 10i, and they would do well to formulate a response soon.

Buy the Redmi Note 9 on Amazon