Siddharth Jain, executive director of the Inox Group, has become the first businessman in India to buy a Tesla after the American electric vehicle (EV) giant formally launched in the country this July. Jain took delivery of a stealth grey Tesla Model Y, proudly declaring it to be “India Inc’s first Tesla.”

Sharing the milestone on X, he posed with the car and wrote, “This one’s for you, Elon Musk!”

In his post, Jain revealed that he had been waiting for this moment since 2017, when he visited Tesla’s Fremont factory in California. “Dreams do come true,” he added, expressing his excitement at the long-awaited purchase.

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Siddharth Jain’s message for Elon Musk

Jain tagged Tesla co-founder and CEO Elon Musk in his post, dedicating the purchase to him. Social media users applauded the milestone, with many congratulating Jain on both his achievement and the excitement he displayed. One user commented that what stood out was “that childlike grin… a sense of fulfilment that is magical at any age.”

Tesla’s entry into India

Tesla officially entered the Indian market in July, opening its first showroom in Mumbai’s Bandra Kurla Complex, followed by another at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport. Deliveries began in early September, with availability initially restricted to cities such as Mumbai, Delhi, Pune and Gurugram.

The Tesla Model Y, imported from the company’s Shanghai Gigafactory, is priced at ₹61.07 lakh in Mumbai and ₹66.76 lakh in Gurugram—almost double its American price. The steep difference stems from India’s 110 per cent import duty on fully built vehicles priced above $40,000.

Who really bought the first Tesla?

While Jain has claimed the title of India Inc’s first Tesla buyer, the very first customer delivery in the country was made earlier this month to Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik. Tesla organised a ceremonial handover at its Mumbai Experience Centre, marking the start of deliveries in India.

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According to Bloomberg, Tesla has already received around 600 orders in the country since July and expects to deliver between 350 and 500 vehicles this year. Despite the buzz, EVs still account for only about 4 per cent of India’s auto market.

For now, Tesla is focusing on a niche customer base in India’s luxury car segment. The company continues to import vehicles from overseas and, according to Heavy Industry Minister HD Kumaraswamy, has no immediate plans for local manufacturing.