The Indian Government is working tirelessly to make the import EV policy conducive for Tesla, JSW Group Chairman Sajjan Jindal believes that mass-market automobile companies like Mahindra and Tata Motors have an edge over Elon Musk’s company in India.
At a CNBC TV-18 event, when asked whether Tesla could disrupt the electric vehicle market in India, without mincing any words, Jindal said, “He (Musk) can’t be successful in India.” He further explained that Tesla would struggle to compete against domestic companies like Mahindra and Tata Motors, as they have a distinct advantage in understanding the Indian automotive market, pricing, product development, and scale.
Jindal said, “He (Musk) is not here. He is in the US. We Indians are here. He cannot produce what Mahindra can do, what Tata can do—it’s not possible. He can do (it) under Trump’s shadow, in the US. He’s super smart, no question about it. He’s a maverick, doing spacecraft and all that. He’s done amazing work, so I don’t want to take anything from him. But to be successful in India is not an easy job.”
Last year, JSW entered the automobile sector by picking 35% stake in MG and is focused on creating a robust EV ecosystem in India. JSW MG aims to spearhead the New Energy Vehicles category by 2030.
Tesla plans for India
Tesla has confirmed that its first showroom in India will be at Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) in Mumbai after sealing the deal on a 5-year lease agreement. The company’s second showroom will be at Aerocity in Delhi. Tesla has also posted job openings in India on its official LinkedIn page.
Tesla will initially bring its EVS into the Indian market via the direct import route from its Berlin plant. Currently, the Indian Government is working on a new proposal to slash the 110% tariffs to 15%.
