The short version
- BGMI Air is the new name for BGMI Lite, Krafton's lighter version of Battlegrounds Mobile India. The rename came on October 15, as pre-registrations passed 10 million.
- The first download is about 1GB, and Krafton lists 1.5GB of RAM and an Adreno 306 GPU as the minimum.
- It's free and works with your existing BGMI account. You can squad up with BGMI players, so there's no need to start over.
- It's due in India by the end of 2026, with an open beta first. There's no exact date yet.
What BGMI Air actually is
Think of it as BGMI on a diet. It's a separate app, not a setting inside the main game, and it skips the big mandatory download before your first match. You pick the optional modules you want, like extra maps or modes, and can delete them later to free space.
The Google Play listing promises the classic Erangel map and the same core battle royale, with the line "Not a smaller game. A lighter one." Your BGMI login, owned items and friends list all carry over, and Krafton says you can play alongside people on the full game.
How it compares with BGMI
Image: Zerocade
The full BGMI is one of the biggest games in India, with over 100 million downloads and a 4.4-star rating from more than 7.5 million reviews on Google Play. But it's also big on your phone, and a lot of budget phones struggle with both the install size and the memory it needs.
Krafton hasn't published the full installed size of BGMI Air, or how much lower its graphics settings go. The 1.5GB RAM minimum is the clearest signal of who it's for: very cheap or older Android phones, the kind still common in smaller towns and as second phones.
The Play listing also notes that BGMI Air contains ads as well as in-app purchases, and it's rated 12+. That's worth knowing if you're used to the main game's cosmetic-only shop.
Why "Air" and not "Lite"
Krafton first announced it as BGMI Lite on August 16, and pre-registration opened on Google Play on August 25. The new name keeps the lightweight idea without making it sound like a cut-down game. Krafton India's head of publishing, Minu Lee, marked the milestone with "A new name. The same BGMI spirit."
The rest of the world is getting the same idea. PUBG Mobile Light has been renamed PUBG Mobile Flash, with a roughly 1GB Android download expected in November. Indian players get their own version through BGMI.
A familiar story for Indian players
Image: Zerocade
This isn't Krafton's first lighter PUBG. PUBG Mobile Lite arrived in 2019 and was blocked in India in September 2020 along with the main game. BGMI launched as India's own version in July 2021, was itself blocked in 2022 and came back in May 2023, without a lighter option. Krafton says Air is for players with entry-level phones or limited storage, which is a big slice of the Indian market.
When can you play it?
Krafton hasn't given a date. An open beta is promised first, and the full launch is set for later this year. Pre-registration is Android only on Google Play for now, and there's no word on iOS, which makes sense given iPhones aren't the low-memory devices this is built for.
What to watch
The open beta date, the final install size and how low the graphics settings go. If you're on an older phone, pre-register on Google Play now and keep an eye on the game's official Instagram page for the beta announcement.
