diff --git a/configure.py b/configure.py
index 88445ee..cd59e90 100644
--- a/configure.py
+++ b/configure.py
@@ -818,7 +818,7 @@
   android_ndk_api_level = prompt_loop_or_load_from_env(
       environ_cp,
       var_name='ANDROID_NDK_API_LEVEL',
-      var_default='18',  # 18 is required for GPU acceleration.
+      var_default='21',  # 21 is required for ARM64 support.
       ask_for_var=('Please specify the (min) Android NDK API level to use. '
                    '[Available levels: %s]') % api_levels,
       check_success=valid_api_level,
diff --git a/tensorflow/lite/g3doc/guide/android.md b/tensorflow/lite/g3doc/guide/android.md
index 8ebc859..8b8324a 100644
--- a/tensorflow/lite/g3doc/guide/android.md
+++ b/tensorflow/lite/g3doc/guide/android.md
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@
 
 ```shell
 build --action_env ANDROID_NDK_HOME="/usr/local/android/android-ndk-r17c"
-build --action_env ANDROID_NDK_API_LEVEL="18"
+build --action_env ANDROID_NDK_API_LEVEL="21"
 build --action_env ANDROID_BUILD_TOOLS_VERSION="28.0.3"
 build --action_env ANDROID_SDK_API_LEVEL="23"
 build --action_env ANDROID_SDK_HOME="/usr/local/android/android-sdk-linux"
diff --git a/tensorflow/tools/ci_build/Dockerfile.android b/tensorflow/tools/ci_build/Dockerfile.android
index 81e9077..80949ac 100644
--- a/tensorflow/tools/ci_build/Dockerfile.android
+++ b/tensorflow/tools/ci_build/Dockerfile.android
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
 ENV ANDROID_SDK_FILENAME tools_r25.2.5-linux.zip
 ENV ANDROID_SDK_URL https://dl.google.com/android/repository/${ANDROID_SDK_FILENAME}
 ENV ANDROID_API_LEVEL 23
-ENV ANDROID_NDK_API_LEVEL 18
+ENV ANDROID_NDK_API_LEVEL 21
 # Build Tools Version liable to change.
 ENV ANDROID_BUILD_TOOLS_VERSION 28.0.0
 ENV ANDROID_SDK_HOME ${ANDROID_DEV_HOME}/sdk
diff --git a/tensorflow/tools/ci_build/builds/builds_common.sh b/tensorflow/tools/ci_build/builds/builds_common.sh
index 55a4ac8..8b0c065 100644
--- a/tensorflow/tools/ci_build/builds/builds_common.sh
+++ b/tensorflow/tools/ci_build/builds/builds_common.sh
@@ -235,7 +235,7 @@
 android_ndk_repository(
     name="androidndk",
     path="${ANDROID_NDK_HOME}",
-    api_level=18)
+    api_level=21)
 EOF
     fi
   fi