Mumbai: Tesla is preparing to officially enter the Indian market with the launch of its first showroom in the country.

The electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer will open its India showroom on Tuesday morning at Maker Maxity Mall, located in the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), Mumbai.

On Friday, Tesla had shared a teaser through its India-specific X (formerly Twitter) account. The post read “Coming soon,” accompanied by a visual suggesting that Tesla’s presence in India would commence in July 2025.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, along with Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik, arrived at the soon-to-be inaugurated first Tesla showroom at Bandra Kurla Complex. 

Although there has been ongoing speculation regarding Tesla’s future plans for India, Union Minister for Heavy Industries, H.D. Kumaraswamy, clarified in June that the company is currently not planning to manufacture its vehicles in India.

"They want to sell their car in India. There is no further development about Tesla," Kumaraswamy had said during a media interaction. He confirmed that Tesla is only interested in opening showrooms in India for now.

Previous reports indicated that Tesla had shown interest in importing vehicles into India and offering them through dedicated showrooms, instead of establishing local manufacturing units. However, the company has remained silent about its broader business strategy for India.

Earlier this year, Tesla began recruiting for roles in India, a move seen as preparation for its market debut.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk had previously expressed interest in investing in India, but he had also pointed out that high import duties were a major hurdle.

However, India's new EV policy, which was announced recently, offered reduced import duties and additional incentives to attract global EV manufacturers, potentially paving the way for Tesla's entry.

In April this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a telephonic conversation with Elon Musk and discussed opportunities for collaboration in technology and innovation. PM Modi had also met Musk earlier in February during his visit to the United States.

With the launch of its first showroom in Mumbai, Tesla is expected to test the Indian market and build a base for its premium electric vehicles in one of the world's fastest-growing automobile markets.

ANI