Thursday 20 / February / 2025
New Delhi: US electric car manufacturer Tesla announced job openings for 13 roles in India on Monday. The roles ranging from consumer engagement to store manager jobs were posted on the company's LinkedIn page.
This comes on the heels of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the US, where he met Elon Musk, the founder and CEO of Tesla and a special government employee under President Donald Trump.
No plans were announced after the meeting, but Modi said on X he discussed "space, mobility, technology and innovation" with Musk.
Most of the jobs were available in India's financial hub Mumbai, whereas five positions were open for candidates in either Mumbai or capital New Delhi.
Tesla and India
Tesla had a minor presence in India before but there had been concerns over high import duties. India recently reduced taxes on high-end cars priced above $40,000 (€38,200) from 110% to 70%, which could be the reason for Tesla's renewed interest in the country, reported Indian financial newspaper The Economic Times.
The reduction in taxes are likely due to Trump's threat of imposing reciprocal tariffs.
India is currently not a huge market for electric vehicles, with only 100,000 units sold last year. In comparison, 11 million EVs were sold in China last year.
However, there has been a growing interest in EVs in India.
Tesla had previously laid the groundwork by setting up sales infrastructure in India since 2021. However, Musk said high tariffs were a deterrent to the company's plans in India. Local business daily Business Standard reported that Musk had plans to use "current production lines much more efficiently," as per an earnings call in April 2024.
It is unclear whether Tesla wants to set up any manufacturing plants in India. Musk, however, has been seeking opportunities in India for a while. Last year there were reports Tesla was scouting for factory and showroom locations in India.
Musk also has plans to open his satellite internet service Starlink in India.
