Tesla Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk on Friday said that his company will not set up a manufacturing plant in India unless it is allowed to sell and service cars in the country.
Tesla is a United States-based company that manufactures electric vehicles.
On Friday, a Twitter user asked Musk if he planned to set up a Tesla manufacturing plant in India. Musk said that Tesla “will not put a manufacturing plant in any location where we are not allowed first to sell and service cars”.
The Union government and Telsa are yet to agree on import taxes and setting up of the manufacturing plant in India.
On April 26, Union Minister of Road Transport Nitin Gadkari had said that Musk was welcome to manufacture electric vehicles in India, ANI reported. However, it would not be a “good proposition” if Musk was to build vehicles in China and sell them in India, the minister had said.
“If Elon Musk is ready to manufacture...in India, there is no problem,” Gadkari had said. “We have got all competencies, the vendors are available. We have got all types of technology and because of that, he can reduce the cost.”
On May 13, a report by Reuters stated that Tesla had put its plans to sell electric cars in India on hold. The company stopped looking for showroom spaces in India.
In January, a Twitter user had asked Musk for an update on launch of Tesla manufacturing plant in India. “Still working through a lot of challenges with the government,” Musk had said in response.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!