'Absolutely': Tesla CEO Elon Musk Shows Interest In India Factory, Location To Be Decided In Coming Months

Tesla's renewed focus on India comes almost a year after the company halted its plans to introduce its electric cars in the country due to challenges in securing favourable import taxes.

Musk reportedly said that Tesla is likely to finalise the location in the coming months.

Source : Tesla

Elon Musk, the CEO of EV maker Tesla , announced on Tuesday that the company is making progress in selecting a location for its new factory, with a decision expected by the end of the year. During an event on Tuesday, when asked by a journalist from The Wall Street Journal about the possibility of choosing India, Musk expressed his enthusiasm, stating, "Absolutely," as reported by Reuters. Amidst mounting speculation about Tesla's upcoming manufacturing facility, Musk reportedly said that the company is likely to finalise the location in the coming months.

Last week, MoS IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar said during an interview with Reuters that Tesla is genuinely interested in establishing a manufacturing presence in the country.

This move aligns with Tesla's previously announced plans to open a gigafactory in Mexico as part of its global production expansion strategy.

Tesla's renewed focus on India comes almost a year after the company halted its plans to introduce electric cars in the country due to challenges in securing favourable import taxes.

Meanwhile, Reliance Jio is reportedly engaged in discussions with Tesla as it explores the possibility of establishing a manufacturing plant in India. As per media reports, industry sources have said that Reliance Jio has offered to build a captive private network exclusively for Tesla's factory, managing critical operations and enabling faster speeds.

An anonymous executive from Jio reportedly mentioned that the company is actively engaging with enterprises in various industries, including automotive, healthcare, and manufacturing, to explore possible use cases for 5G connectivity. Jio aims to offer network-building and management services to these industries.

The proposed network would also support connected car solutions and automate production processes. While talks between the two companies are in the early stages, further developments are expected once Tesla finalises its plans for manufacturing in India.

Additionally, Tesla's senior executives are expected to hold discussions with Indian government officials. These meetings aim to explore potential opportunities for sourcing parts from India, further strengthening Tesla's ties with the country.