Elon Musk has delayed his trip to India, initially planned for April 21 and 22, due to “very heavy Tesla obligations,” the CEO announced on social media platform X. Musk expressed his anticipation of visiting later in the year.
During the visit, Musk was scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discuss Tesla’s entry into the Indian market. Just days before the scheduled trip, India introduced a new electric vehicle manufacturing policy that offers duty concessions to car companies involved in the “Make in India” initiative.
Currently, customs duties for imported cars in India range from 70% to 100%, depending on the engine size and cost, insurance, and freight (CIF) value. India has some of the highest import duties on cars among large countries.
Sources previously indicated that Musk might present a roadmap for a total investment of around $20-30 billion in India, although a Starlink agreement during this visit appeared unlikely.
In an interview with ANI, Prime Minister Modi commented on Musk’s previous remarks about supporting him, clarifying that the Tesla CEO is more a supporter of India. Modi mentioned having met Musk twice before, first during a factory visit in 2015 and most recently during his state visit to the US in 2023.
In June 2023, Musk met Modi during the prime minister’s US visit. During their meeting, Musk expressed his intention to visit India in 2024 and his confidence in Tesla’s eventual entry into the Indian market.
