Musk’s India visit postponed amid political atmosphere, but Tesla’s business plans intact

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Tesla CEO Elon Musk in New York last year. (Photo/PTI)

Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s visit to India postponed but company plans to apply for electric vehicle policy with focus on component sourcing

Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s much-awaited visit to India has been postponed, but the company’s commitment to navigating the Indian electric vehicle landscape remains firm. Despite the delay, Tesla intends to proceed with its application for the new electric vehicle manufacturing policy.

Tesla’s Chief Sourcing Officer to visit India to engage with major component manufacturers CNBC-TV 18, The EV giant is eyeing an ambitious target of sourcing up to $15 billion of components from India over the next five years. According to the report, Tesla continues to explore various locations across India for the possible setting up of a manufacturing plant.

The company has recently entered into a strategic agreement with Tata Electronics for component sourcing, strengthening its hold in the Indian market. Not only this, Tesla’s collaboration with Sona Comstar, one of its top five suppliers in India, has taken a significant turn.

The supplier has inaugurated a new manufacturing facility in Mexico, ready to meet the growing demand for electric vehicle components in North America. The move highlights Tesla’s commitment to strengthening its global supply chain network. India’s importance has increased for Tesla, especially in the wake of the US company’s recent sales slowdown in China.

Musk’s scheduled visit, now postponed until after the general elections, was expected to be multifaceted. Apart from exploring business prospects, Musk was keen to announce Starlink’s entry into the Indian market. It is speculated that the postponement of Musk’s visit was influenced by the tense political environment surrounding the elections.

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