diff --git a/packages/react-native/ReactAndroid/src/main/java/com/facebook/react/modules/i18nmanager/I18nUtil.kt b/packages/react-native/ReactAndroid/src/main/java/com/facebook/react/modules/i18nmanager/I18nUtil.kt
index dd42a4bc5fa501..1968ec99bd5327 100644
--- a/packages/react-native/ReactAndroid/src/main/java/com/facebook/react/modules/i18nmanager/I18nUtil.kt
+++ b/packages/react-native/ReactAndroid/src/main/java/com/facebook/react/modules/i18nmanager/I18nUtil.kt
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 package com.facebook.react.modules.i18nmanager
 
 import android.content.Context
+import android.content.pm.ApplicationInfo
 import androidx.core.text.TextUtilsCompat
 import androidx.core.view.ViewCompat
 import java.util.Locale
@@ -23,6 +24,19 @@ public class I18nUtil private constructor() {
         true
       } else isRTLAllowed(context) && isDevicePreferredLanguageRTL
 
+  /**
+   * Android relies on the presence of `android:supportsRtl="true"` being set in order to resolve
+   * RTL as a layout direction for native Android views. RTL in React Native relies on this being
+   * set.
+   */
+  private fun applicationHasRtlSupport(context: Context): Boolean {
+    return (context.getApplicationInfo().flags and ApplicationInfo.FLAG_SUPPORTS_RTL) != 0
+  }
+
+  public fun hasRtlSupport(context: Context): Boolean {
+    return applicationHasRtlSupport(context) || isRTLAllowed(context)
+  }
+
   /**
    * Should be used very early during app start up Before the bridge is initialized
    *
diff --git a/packages/react-native/template/android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml b/packages/react-native/template/android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
index 4122f36a590a44..e1892528b8d0b0 100644
--- a/packages/react-native/template/android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
+++ b/packages/react-native/template/android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
@@ -8,7 +8,8 @@
       android:icon="@mipmap/ic_launcher"
       android:roundIcon="@mipmap/ic_launcher_round"
       android:allowBackup="false"
-      android:theme="@style/AppTheme">
+      android:theme="@style/AppTheme"
+      android:supportsRtl="true">
       <activity
         android:name=".MainActivity"
         android:label="@string/app_name"
diff --git a/packages/rn-tester/android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml b/packages/rn-tester/android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
index 9e8cac997aafaa..720b58f7967548 100644
--- a/packages/rn-tester/android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
+++ b/packages/rn-tester/android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
@@ -37,7 +37,8 @@
       android:icon="@mipmap/ic_launcher"
       android:roundIcon="@mipmap/ic_launcher_round"
       android:label="@string/app_name"
-      android:theme="@style/AppTheme">
+      android:theme="@style/AppTheme"
+      android:supportsRtl="true">
     <activity
         android:name=".RNTesterActivity"
         android:label="@string/app_name"