Mistral AI in talks to set up Bengaluru GCC with phased expansion plan

French artificial intelligence company Mistral AI is in discussions to establish a Global Capability Centre in Bengaluru as part of its plans to expand into India and strengthen its global footprint, Karnataka’s large and medium industries minister MB Patil said.

Patil said the talks were discussed during a meeting with Audrey Herblin Stoop, vice-president for global public affairs and communication at Mistral AI, on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum 2026 in Davos.

The potential move comes as several of Mistral AI’s rivals accelerate their presence in India, particularly in Bengaluru. Anthropic is expanding its global operations into the country and has announced plans to open an office in Bengaluru in early 2026, while generative AI pioneer OpenAI has said it will open its first India office in New Delhi.

Founded in 2023, Mistral AI is a fast-growing French AI company known for developing high-performance, accessible and often open-source large language models. The company currently has a strong base in Europe and is expanding its operations in Singapore and other international markets.

Patil said discussions centred on setting up the Bengaluru centre through a phased approach, beginning with engineering teams and gradually expanding into advanced research and scientific capabilities. He said India’s deep pool of AI talent was a key attraction for Mistral AI, with the company’s delegation expressing interest in leveraging these capabilities as part of its global expansion strategy.

Bengaluru is the second-largest AI talent hub globally and accounts for more than 50 per cent of India’s AI and machine learning workforce. Patil added that Karnataka hosts three artificial intelligence centres of excellence in partnership with the Indian Institute of Science, NASSCOM and other ecosystem partners, further strengthening the state’s appeal for AI and frontier technology investments.

Separately, Patil said Sify Technologies is set to inaugurate a new data centre facility in Karnataka shortly, while Bharti Enterprises has also expressed interest in setting up a data centre in the state.