(Update: live now) Xiaomi India celebrates anniversary with a day of flash sales and promos

Update, April 6: the first flash sale in Xiaomi’s Mi Fan Festival is already sold out, but you can still get on the action at 2PM and 5PM IST.

Original post, April 4: Xiaomi hopes to impress Indian customers with a day of sales and promos this Wednesday.

During its Mi Fan Festival event on April 6, Xiaomi will hold flash sales for the brand new Mi 5, the Redmi Note 3, and the 20,000-mAh Mi Power Bank. Accessories and other products will be discounted as well, and the company also promised a few surprises.

Established on April 6, 2010, Xiaomi is today one of the largest privately-held companies in the world, competing with Uber for the title of “world’s most valuable startup.” From its humble beginnings as a maker of custom ROMs, the company rose to become a top five global phone maker, thanks in large part to its runaway success in China.

India, however, has proven a hard nut to crack for Hugo Barra and his team. According to the IDC sales tracker, Samsung, Micromax, and Lenovo dominate the market, while Xiaomi ranks seventh, trailing even Apple. That’s two years after the company entered the market with hopes of finding the next growth engine.

One problem is pricing: Xiaomi devices sold in India are frequently more expensive than those sold in China. Case in point, the Xiaomi Mi 5 launched in India at Rs. 24,999, roughly 20% more than what the base version of the phone costs in China, to the dismay of local Twitter users.

The Xiaomi Mi 5 will first go on sale during the Mi Fan Festival event this Wednesday for Rs. 24,999, with the Mi Protect service offered at a promotional price of Rs. 499 (a Rs. 200 discount).

The Redmi Note 3 will be available from Rs 9.999, while the Mi Power Bank will be on sale for Rs. 1,699. Various bundles and other promos will also be available.

These special prices will only be valid on April 6 at 11AM, 2PM, and 5PM IST!

Will you take advantage of any deals on Wednesday?