Local Regulations Preventing Tesla From Setting Shop In India, Says Elon Musk

Tesla Motors’ chief executive Elon Musk has said that while he would love to set up production in India, the country’s local laws were preventing him from doing so.

In a tweet, he said that Tesla would love to be in India, and that the electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer would enter the country when its Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Deepak Ahuja believed it was time for them to do so.

Tesla currently has two factories in Fremont, California in the United States along with two Gigafactories that manufacture batteries, powerwalls and solar roofs in Reno, Nevada and Buffalo, New York. The Palo Alto is looking to open its first factory outside of the United States in Beijing, China with the Asian nation easing norms for foreign manufacturers.

Despite this, the Government of India has told Musk, that the doors were open for Tesla. Last year, Musk had tweeted out that India’s requirements for locally sourced components was hindering plans to set up base in the country. Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari had in 2016 said that the government was ready to offer land to Tesla near major ports.

While India has managed to do away with over 1,400 archaic laws that was hindering the operations of businesses, many foreign manufacturers still shy away from the country.

Also Read: India Needs An Electric-Vehicle Policy; Here’s How It Can Go About It