Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, reportedly held a closed-door meeting with senior Tesla executives last week to discuss the carmaker’s intentions to establish a manufacturing plant in India. The meeting came shortly after reports surfaced about the potential encounter between the Indian government and Tesla representatives.
High-Profile Meeting with Tesla Executives in New Delhi
According to sources, Tesla’s senior public policy and business development executive, Rohan Patel, and a vice president for supply chain, Roshan Thomas, met with Minister Goyal and officials from Invest India during their visit to the country. The high-profile meeting took place at a hotel in New Delhi, where the Tesla executives privately engaged with the minister and at least one other government official.
Government Tracks Progress of Talks with Tesla
Meetings between Tesla and Indian officials are being closely monitored by the government, with details kept confidential. The Indian authorities are actively tracking the progress of discussions between the electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer and the country, indicating the significance and sensitivity of the matter.
Positive Developments Following Elon Musk’s Meeting with Prime Minister Modi
The meeting between Tesla executives and Minister Goyal marked a significant step forward since Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in June in New York City. During that meeting, Musk expressed interest in making investments in India, signaling an end to years of contention between Tesla and India over import duties.
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Tesla’s Plans for a Low-Cost EV in India
Tesla aims to establish a manufacturing facility in India to produce a low-cost electric vehicle priced at approximately $24,000 (INR 19.87 Lakhs). This price would be around 25% lower than Tesla’s current entry model for both the Indian market and export. The carmaker is actively pursuing its entry into the Indian market, leasing office space in Pune, and exploring the possibility of bringing Chinese vendors to India through joint ventures with Indian partners.
