Xiaomi brings the Mi 5 to India, but it’s more expensive than anticipated

Indian Xiaomi fans are in for a disappointment – the Xiaomi Mi 5 was just announced for the Indian market and it’s significantly pricier than the Chinese version.

Xiaomi’s head of international expansion Hugo Barra took the stage today to reveal the Mi 5’s price and availability in India. Only the standard version of the device, with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage, will be initially available in India, with a price tag of Rs. 24,999.

That’s about $375 at today’s rate, and not a bad deal for a Snapdragon 820 device with excellent specs. The problem is, Indian users were expecting something closer to Rs. 20,000 (around $300), which is around how much the standard Mi 5 costs in Xiaomi’s native market. In China, the Mi 5 32GB sells for RMB 1999 ($310), the Mi 5 64GB for RMB 2299 ($355), and the top of the line Mi 5 Pro for RMB 2699 ($420).

Now, there are many factors that determine how companies price their products in each market. Local taxes, import tariffs, and the local purchasing power all weigh in, but at the end of the day, companies also choose prices based on their strategic imperatives. It’s possible that the competition in China is so strong that Xiaomi decided to sacrifice some of its profits to stay ahead of the pack. India, by contrast, is still a relatively small market for Xiaomi, even though Barra and other company representatives have made it clear that’s a very important one.

Regardless of the reasons for the price bump, Hugo Barra’s Indian followers wasted no time to tell him how they feel about it.

If you need a refresher, the standard version of the Xiaomi Mi 5 features a 5.15 Full HD display, a Snapdragon 820 processor, 3GB of RAM, 32GB or 64GB of storage, and a 16MP camera, with everything packed in a lightweight body covered in glass. The Xiaomi Mi 5 Pro ups its game with 4GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, and a snazzy 3D ceramic body.

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The Xiaomi Mi 5 will initially be offered in India through a flash sale on April 6 on Mi.com, and availability will be extended to more channels in the following weeks. No word so far on whether the other versions will make it to market.

What do you think about the Mi 5’s pricing?