Xiaomi is gearing up to launch its Xiaomi 17 series in India, signaling a shift towards premium, experience-driven smartphones. The company has consistently launched its "Ultra" phones in India for the past few years, so the Xiaomi 17 Ultra is expected to arrive alongside the Xiaomi 17. While the launch date remains unconfirmed, indications suggest it could be in January or February 2026.
Recent sightings on the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) website confirm that the Xiaomi 17 and Xiaomi 17 Ultra are closer to their debut in the Indian market. The Xiaomi 17 appeared on the BIS certification platform with the model number 25113PN0EI. The Xiaomi 17 Ultra also appeared on India's BIS database with the model number 2512BPNDAI. These certifications are standard procedures before a regional release.
The Xiaomi 17 series launch in India reflects a strategic reset, as Xiaomi moves away from its "value for money" identity toward a "value for experience" approach. Sudhin Mathur, the COO of Xiaomi India, has acknowledged the industry's turning point, with Xiaomi aiming to provide enhanced experiences to its customers.
The Xiaomi 17, already launched in China, boasts impressive specifications. It features a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 SoC, a 6.3-inch LTPO OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, up to 16GB of RAM, and up to 512GB of storage. It runs on Android 16 with HyperOS 3.0. The phone has a Leica-tuned triple rear camera setup with a 50MP primary sensor, a 50MP telephoto lens, and a 50MP ultrawide-angle sensor. It also packs a 7,000mAh battery with 100W wired and 50W wireless fast charging. However, reports suggest the global version may feature a slightly smaller 5,240mAh battery.
The Xiaomi 17 Ultra has also been certified by Thailand's NBTC authority and Singapore's IMDA. The global units will ship with HyperOS 3.0 based on Android 16 and feature 5G band support along with Wi-Fi 7. The Xiaomi 17 Ultra transitions to a flat-screen design and is the thinnest "Ultra" model Xiaomi has ever produced, measuring at 8.29mm. It has a 6.9-inch 1.5K M10 LTPO AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and 3500 nits peak brightness. The phone is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 (3nm) processor. Its camera setup includes a 50MP primary camera with OIS, a 200MP Samsung HPE periscope telephoto lens with continuous zoom, and a 50MP ultrawide lens. The Chinese Xiaomi 17 Ultra has a 6800 mAh battery, but the global version is rumored to come with around 6000 mAh.
While the Xiaomi 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max models have been rumored, they have not yet appeared on the BIS database, making their global launch less likely.
With the Xiaomi 17 series, the company is focusing on providing a premium experience, reflected in its new retail formats and premium service centers that promise quick repairs and loaner devices.
