Xiaomi, a leading Chinese smartphone manufacturer, announced on Thursday that its Android devices sold in India will now come pre-installed with the app store of Indian fintech company PhonePe, known as Indus Appstore.

Typically, Xiaomi’s Android smartphones are equipped with Google’s Play Store and the company’s own GetApps. However, Xiaomi has entered into a multi-year agreement with PhonePe to replace GetApps with Indus Appstore on its devices, confirming earlier reports by TechCrunch.

It is worth noting that Google’s Play Store will still be pre-installed on Xiaomi’s devices. The companies have not provided information on whether the Indus Appstore will be available on existing Xiaomi devices that have already been sold or are currently available for purchase. Additionally, the rollout timeline for this change has not been specified.

PhonePe has been attempting to compete with Google in the Indian app market, offering zero fees for in-app purchases to developers. The Indus Appstore supports 12 Indian languages, features a video-led discovery feed, and boasts over 500,000 apps across various categories.

However, alternative app stores have historically struggled to gain traction due to the time it takes to establish trust with users and convince them to install another app store. By having its app store pre-installed on new smartphones, PhonePe aims to overcome at least one of these hurdles. So far, the fintech company has not released any data on the number of downloads or revenue generated for developers through its app store.

According to Sudhin Mathur, COO of Xiaomi India, “As India’s digital ecosystem continues to grow, the need for a locally driven app marketplace has never been more pressing. At Xiaomi India, we have always supported ‘Make for India’ innovations, and this partnership with Indus Appstore is a strategic step in that direction.”