Tesla to Open First India Store in Mumbai’s BKC on July 15: Report
Tesla will open its first showroom in India on July 15 in Mumbai’s Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), marking the electric vehicle giant’s physical entry into the Indian market after years of negotiations and lobbying for lower import duties.
According to reports, the showroom in Mumbai will be Tesla’s first retail hub in India, part of its efforts to begin sales in the country’s emerging electric vehicle market. Earlier this year, Tesla signed a lease deal to open the BKC store and has been scouting for showroom sites in Mumbai and New Delhi while stepping up hiring in India.
Bloomberg reported that five Tesla Model Y vehicles have already arrived in Mumbai from Tesla’s Shanghai factory. The cars were declared at ₹27.7 lakh ($31,988) per unit and were subjected to over ₹21 lakh in import duties due to India’s 70% tariff on fully-built car imports.
Tesla’s entry into India comes after prolonged discussions with the government to reduce import duties, which had been a sticking point for Elon Musk’s company. Despite the start of operations, reports indicate that Tesla is currently not interested in manufacturing parts in India, focusing instead on expanding its sales network through showrooms.
Union Minister for Heavy Industries HD Kumaraswamy confirmed last month that Tesla intends to open showrooms but is not looking to manufacture locally at this stage. “Tesla, we are not actually expected from them, they are only to start showrooms. They are not interested in manufacturing in India,” Kumaraswamy told ANI.
Tesla’s India entry has long been anticipated, with potential buyers and EV enthusiasts in the country tracking Musk’s plans closely. The launch of the BKC showroom will allow potential customers to view Tesla vehicles in person for the first time, even as high import duties may keep prices elevated for Indian buyers.
The company’s India push aligns with the government’s broader push towards electric mobility, even as Tesla’s manufacturing plans remain uncertain amid India’s high import tariff structure for foreign-made electric vehicles.
