Tesla not interested in manufacturing electric cars in India: Kumaraswamy

Tesla is not interested in manufacturing cars in India but keen on establishing showrooms in the country, Union Heavy Industries Minister H D Kumaraswamy said

New Delhi: Global EV giant Tesla is not interested in manufacturing cars in India but keen on establishing showrooms in the country, Union Heavy Industries Minister H D Kumaraswamy said on Monday.

US President Donald Trump has said that if Tesla were to build a factory in India to circumvent that country’s tariffs, it would be “unfair” to the US.

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“Tesla… They are more (interested) only in starting showrooms. They are not interested to (start) manufacturing in India,” Kumaraswamy told reporters here. The minister made the remarks at a press conference to announce the unveiling of guidelines for the Scheme to Promote Manufacturing of Electric Cars in India.

“So far, they (Tesla) have not shown interest. A Tesla representative only participated in the first round of stakeholder discussions for the Scheme to Promote Manufacturing of Electric Cars in India. The company’s representative was not part of the second and third rounds of the stakeholder deliberations,” an official said.

Tesla CEO billionaire Elon Musk had said in April last year that his visit to India had been delayed due to the company’s heavy obligations.