Big news has emerged for electric car enthusiasts in India. Elon Musk's company, Tesla, is finally set to launch its first showroom in India. According to reports, Tesla will open its first experience center on July 15th at the Jio World Drive mall in Mumbai. Through this experience center, Indian customers will be able to see and understand Tesla cars up close for the first time.
This location is situated in the BKC (Bandra-Kurla Complex) area of South Mumbai, where Apple's flagship store is already located. In March 2025, Tesla had leased approximately 4,000 square feet of space in the same complex.
Tesla's Presence in India So Far
Tesla has shown considerable activity regarding its operations in India in the past few months. The company has revealed a total of four commercial properties in India so far. These include two locations in Mumbai – an experience center and a potential vehicle service facility located in Kurla West.
In addition, Tesla is running an engineering hub in Pune, and the company already has an office registered in Bengaluru. Tesla has also established its presence near BKC. However, the sale of cars or test drive facilities have not yet commenced at any of Tesla's sites.
Focusing Only on Sales and Opening Showrooms
Tesla has not yet made any concrete plans for local manufacturing public in India. Union Minister of Heavy Industries, H.D. Kumaraswamy, informed the Parliament in June that Tesla is currently only planning to open showrooms in India and sell its electric cars by importing them.
He stated that Tesla has clarified to the government that it does not currently want to open any local manufacturing units. However, speculations are being made regarding the company's next move.
Enthusiasm Among Customers, But Waiting for Launch Date
Customers have been waiting for Tesla's official entry into India for a long time. Since 2021, when Elon Musk tweeted about India, there has been a lot of excitement among electric car enthusiasts. Now that the date for the experience center has been set, it is believed that Tesla may soon announce the booking and prices of its cars in India.
However, there has been no official announcement from Tesla regarding the launch or sale of any model yet. But according to sources, Tesla is planning to launch the Model 3 or Model Y in India by importing them.
Discussions Between NITI Aayog and Government Continue
In recent years, there have been several rounds of discussions between NITI Aayog and the government regarding Tesla opening a manufacturing unit in India. Tesla had earlier requested exemptions on import duties in India to sell its cars at lower prices. However, the government has been emphasizing local manufacturing.
Now, Tesla has moved forward with retail and service directly without any government concessions, which is considered a significant change.
The Electric Car Market in India is Growing Rapidly
Tesla's entry into India is happening at a time when the electric vehicle market is expanding rapidly in the country. Companies like Tata Motors, Mahindra, Ola, and MG Motor have already established a b hold in the EV segment. In such a scenario, India could prove to be a large but competitive market for Tesla.
