diff --git a/news/10791.feature.rst b/news/10791.feature.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..be41c6b7e21
--- /dev/null
+++ b/news/10791.feature.rst
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Print the exception via ``rich.traceback``, when running with ``--debug``.
diff --git a/src/pip/_internal/cli/base_command.py b/src/pip/_internal/cli/base_command.py
index f5dc0fecf78..78b96bb7070 100644
--- a/src/pip/_internal/cli/base_command.py
+++ b/src/pip/_internal/cli/base_command.py
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@
 from optparse import Values
 from typing import Any, Callable, List, Optional, Tuple
 
+from pip._vendor.rich import traceback as rich_traceback
+
 from pip._internal.cli import cmdoptions
 from pip._internal.cli.command_context import CommandContextMixIn
 from pip._internal.cli.parser import ConfigOptionParser, UpdatingDefaultsHelpFormatter
@@ -215,6 +217,7 @@ def exc_logging_wrapper(*args: Any) -> int:
                 run = intercepts_unhandled_exc(self.run)
             else:
                 run = self.run
+                rich_traceback.install(show_locals=True)
             return run(options, args)
         finally:
             self.handle_pip_version_check(options)