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Tesla is officially making its debut in India with the opening of its first showroom and experience centre at the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) in Mumbai on July 15, marking a major move into the world’s third-largest car market despite ongoing concerns over import duties.
According to the media invite, Tesla described the launch as the “launch of Tesla in India through the opening of the Tesla experience centre at Bandra Kurla Complex”, a key commercial hub in Mumbai.
This move comes as Tesla grapples with excess global manufacturing capacity and declining sales, prompting a shift toward importing vehicles for the Indian market rather than producing them locally.
- From January to June 2025, Tesla imported nearly $1 million worth of products into India, including:
- Six Model Y vehicles, priced at $32,500 each for the standard version and $46,000 for the long-range variant.
- Multiple Superchargers, chargers, and accessories, sourced mainly from China and the United States.
Despite the 70% import duty on electric vehicles and related levies, Tesla appears to be testing the waters before committing to local manufacturing.
Although Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has made multiple efforts to attract Tesla, going as far as drafting a new policy to promote local EV manufacturing, Tesla has not shown interest in setting up a production facility in India for now.
Last year, Elon Musk had planned a visit to India where he was expected to announce a $2–3 billion investment into local EV operations. However, Tesla canceled the trip at the last minute and has not made any formal manufacturing commitment since.
Building a Local Team
Tesla has been actively recruiting in India, hiring for several of the three dozen advertised roles, including:
- Store managers
- Sales and service executives
- Supply chain engineers
- Autopilot vehicle operators
These appointments signal Tesla’s long-term interest in building an operational base in India, even if manufacturing isn’t yet on the table.
Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed criticism over companies like Tesla potentially setting up factories in countries like India to avoid U.S. tariffs, calling it “unfair” to American interests.
Despite political and economic tensions, Tesla’s India launch signals a calculated business move, testing demand in one of the fastest-growing EV markets while navigating regulatory hurdles and keeping long-term manufacturing plans open-ended.
