Tamil Nadu Becomes Fifth State To Invite Elon Musk To Set Up Tesla Unit

Tamil Nadu Industries Minister Thangam Thenarasu said the state accounted for 34 per cent share in total planned investments for electric vehicles.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk speaks during the unveiling of the new Tesla Model Y in Hawthorne (Getty Images)

New Delhi: Tamil Nadu became the fifth state to invite industry tycoon Elon Musk to set up a Tesla unit in the state. 

In a tweet tagging Elon Musk, Industries Minister Thangam Thenarasu said Tamil Nadu accounted for 34 per cent share in total planned investments for electric vehicles.

Hi Mr. Elon @elonmusk
I'm from Tamil Nadu.Tamil Nadu accounts for 34% share in total planned investments for Electric Vehicles. Welcome to India's EV capital. Also Tamil Nadu is one of the top nine renewable energy markets in the world. #tnforpartnership pic.twitter.com/QEhJurYV5f

— Thangam Thenarasu (@TThenarasu) January 17, 2022

"Tamil Nadu accounts for 34% share in total planned investments for Electric Vehicles. Welcome to India's EV capital. Also Tamil Nadu is one of the top nine renewable energy markets in the world," Thenarasu tweeted.

Recently, ministers from four states -- Maharashtra, West Bengal, Punjab and Telangana -- invited Elon Musk to set up shop after the billionaire entrepreneur asserted that Tesla was facing a "lot of challenges" to launch its products in India.

READ | Two More States Offer To Set Up Tesla Factories After Telangana

On Sunday, Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu invited Musk to set up Tesla’s unit in the state's industrial hub Ludhiana.

Last week, Telangana Industries Minister KT Rama Rao asked the US-based auto maker to set up shop in the southern state.

"Hey Elon, I am the Industry & Commerce Minister of Telangana state in India Will be happy to partner Tesla in working through the challenges to set shop in India/Telangana Our state is a champion in sustainability initiatives & a top notch business destination in India," Rama Rao tweeted.

Musk and the Centre have been in talks for years over setting up a factory in India. Last year, Tesla had sought a reduction in import duties on electric vehicles in India.

The Centre had asked Tesla to first start manufacturing its vehicles in India before any tax concessions could be considered.

The government felt giving duty benefits to Tesla would not send a good signal to other companies that had invested billions of dollars in India, PTI reported.