On the sidelines of the 2026 S-Class facelift’s reveal, Mercedes global CEO Ola Källenius said he is absolutely convinced that about the scale of its future in India. In response to a query from Autocar India, Källenius also acknowledged that the India-EU FTA could change things in local production plans. Mercedes currently locally assembles over 10 model lines in India Mercedes India R&D centre’s inputs incorporated in the 2026 S-ClassIndia input in 2026 Mercedes S-Class faceliftMercedes’s Bengaluru R&D centre is the brand’s largest outside Europe. The Mercedes Bengaluru R&D centre is the brand’s largest outside of Germany, and Källenius affirms the country will continue to be at the forefront of the brand’s global operations. “The new S-Class has contributions from 5 continents, that's what's required to make the best car in the world and the India R&D centre played an important role,” he said.