French artificial intelligence company Mistral AI is in discussions to establish a global capability centre (GCC) in Bengaluru, signalling a potential entry into India as part of its broader global expansion strategy, MB Patil, Karnataka’s minister for large and medium industries, told Moneycontrol.
The development was disclosed after Patil met Audrey Herblin Stoop, VP – global public affairs and communication, Mistral AI, on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) 2026 in Davos, Switzerland.
The proposed Bengaluru centre is expected to follow a phased approach, beginning with engineering capabilities and gradually expanding into advanced research functions.
If finalised, the move would place Mistral AI alongside a growing list of leading global AI firms strengthening their presence in India, particularly in Bengaluru. The city has recently emerged as a preferred destination for frontier AI talent, with Anthropic planning to open a Bengaluru office in early 2026 .
Founded in 2023, Mistral AI has rapidly gained recognition for building high-performance, accessible, and often open-source large language models (LLMs).
The French AI startup raised €1.7 billion ($2 billion) in a Series C funding round in September last year, led by Dutch semiconductor giant ASML, bringing its valuation to about €11.7 billion ($13.7 billion). ASML invested €1.3 billion ($1.5 billion), becoming Mistral’s largest shareholder with an 11% stake and a seat on the company’s strategic committee.
Mistral AI said the investment will support scientific research and the development of decentralised frontier AI solutions aimed at addressing complex engineering and industrial problems.
