Tesla is set to open its first showroom in India next week, marking its formal entry into the world’s third-largest automobile market. The electric vehicle giant will inaugurate a new Tesla Experience Centre at Mumbai’s Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) on July 15, according to a media invitation sent out on Thursday.
This move comes despite Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s longstanding concerns over India’s high import duties, which hover around 70% for foreign-made vehicles. Tesla has opted to enter the market through imports rather than local manufacturing—at least for now.
According to commercial customs data from January to June, the company has imported nearly $1 million worth of vehicles, Superchargers, and accessories into India, primarily from China and the United States. Among the imports were six units of the popular Model Y SUV—five of which had a shipment value of $32,500 each, while one long-range version was valued at $46,000.
Tesla’s India entry comes as the company faces declining sales and surplus production capacity at its existing factories. The Indian government, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has long courted Tesla, even crafting policies to encourage local electric vehicle manufacturing. However, the company has made it clear that it is not currently interested in setting up a manufacturing facility in India.
Elon Musk had planned a visit to India last year, where he was expected to announce a $2–3 billion investment in local EV production. The visit was abruptly canceled.
Meanwhile, Tesla continues to hire for its India operations, having filled several of the roughly three dozen positions it posted earlier this year. New hires include store managers, sales and service personnel, with ongoing recruitment for supply chain engineers and vehicle operators—key roles for Tesla’s future autopilot development.
U.S. political voices have also weighed in, with former President Donald Trump criticizing the idea of Tesla manufacturing in India to bypass tariffs, calling it “unfair” to the U.S.
Despite the challenges, Tesla’s Mumbai showroom launch signals the company’s commitment to testing the Indian EV market through strategic imports and brand presence.
