Recently Elon Musk’s company Tesla announced that they will be hiring people in India and vacancies were posted on LinkedIn by the organisation. Now according to a Reuters report, Tesla has finalised its first showroom locations in Mumbai and Delhi and with this it has taken a major step forward for its plan to enter India.
According to the report Tesla has secured a spot in Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) Tesla plans to open its Mumbai showroom. BKC has global corporate offices, luxury hotels, and retail outlets.
In Delhi’s Aerocity, a commercial hub near Indira Gandhi International Airport. This region is a hub of global corporate offices, luxury hotels, and retail outlets.
As per the report, both the outlets span over 5000 sq ft. However, Tesla has not yet announced opening dates of these showrooms.
Due to governmental obstacles, the American EV manufacturer had to postpone its intentions to expand in India. Tesla had announced its plan to enter India in 2022 and has been looking for showroom locations since late 2023. This most recent action shows Tesla's increased determination to become a major player in the third-largest auto market in the world.
Instead of establishing local production, Tesla's initial strategy in India would concentrate on selling imported EVs. India's hefty import taxes, which are currently 100% on fully manufactured EVs, have been a point of contention for Elon Musk. Indian manufacturers have opposed Tesla's efforts to lower tariffs because they are concerned about competition in the expanding EV market.
In a recent meeting, U.S. President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi talked about tariffs and trade policy, with a possible solution that might facilitate Tesla's entry into the market being hinted at.
If the government changes its EV tariff policy to provide lower duties in return for investment commitments, Tesla's India approach may pick up steam.