Xiaomi 18 Pro BIS certification points to India launch
The Indian variant of the Xiaomi 18 Pro has cleared BIS certification, a step that usually precedes a launch. A rumour suggests the phone will arrive in India in December.
Key takeaways
- The Indian variant of the Xiaomi 18 Pro, model number 2609BPN61I, has been certified by the Bureau of Indian Standards.
- The phone launched in China in late September and goes global on 17 November.
- A rumour points to an Indian launch in December for the 18 Pro, while the 18 Pro Max may not be sold there.
- The phone features a 200MP main camera, a 200MP periscope telephoto, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 chip and HyperOS 4 on Android 17.
In this article
Certification signals an Indian debut
Xiaomi's flagship duo, the 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max, went on sale in China in late September and will reach global markets on 17 November. According to GSMArena, the 18 Pro has now moved closer to an Indian release because its Indian version, carrying the model number 2609BPN61I, has appeared in the records of the Bureau of Indian Standards.
The Bureau of Indian Standards is the agency that approves electronic products before they can be sold in India. Its listings normally contain no specifications, but a certification of this kind usually appears shortly before a phone goes on sale. GSMArena reports that this means the launch should not be far away.
A December arrival rumoured for the Pro model
A recent rumour, cited by GSMArena, claims the Xiaomi 18 Pro will reach India in December. The same rumour says the larger 18 Pro Max will not be sold there at all.
The reported reason for the Pro Max staying out of India is its rumoured price. The suggestion is that Xiaomi is not confident it could sell enough units at that price to justify bringing the bigger model to the market. This remains unconfirmed, and Xiaomi has not commented on its launch plans.
Key specifications of the 18 Pro
For readers needing a refresher, the Xiaomi 18 Pro has a 6.4-inch LTPO AMOLED screen with a resolution of 1120x2436 and a 120Hz refresh rate. LTPO is a display technology that adjusts the refresh rate dynamically to save battery. The phone also has a 2.7-inch secondary display on its rear.
Power comes from the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 chip. The phone carries an IP68 rating, meaning it resists dust and can handle immersion in water, and it runs HyperOS 4 based on Android 17.
What this means for buyers in India
BIS certification is often one of the last formal steps before a phone launches in India, so it is a useful signal for shoppers waiting for the 18 Pro. If the December timing in the rumour proves accurate, the wait would be short after the global launch on 17 November.
Buyers should treat the launch date and the absence of the Pro Max as unconfirmed claims until Xiaomi announces them. No pricing for India has been reported in the available material. Separately, Xiaomi has said that Google Maps, Spotify and YouTube Music will be supported on the phone's rear display.
Sources
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