The US electric vehicle giant Tesla started official hiring in India to expand its operations in the growing EV market of the country. Tesla posted 13 different job positions on LinkedIn, which included consumer engagement and store management roles, on Monday. The majority of these job openings exist in Mumbai, yet five additional roles are available for either Mumbai or New Delhi.
The job recruitment drive at Tesla came after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Tesla CEO Elon Musk during Modi’s US visit. Through his X (formerly Twitter) post, Modi revealed that their discussion focused on “space, mobility, technology, and innovation.”
The high import taxes on foreign-made vehicles had previously prevented Tesla from entering the Indian market. The reduction of high-end car import taxes from 110% to 70% for vehicles costing more than $40,000 seems to have motivated Tesla to establish its presence in the Indian market. The Economic Times reports that former US President Donald Trump’s demands for equal tariffs might have led to the reduction of this tax.
The Indian EV market remains small since it sold 100,000 EVs in 2023 while China sold 11 million but shows increasing signs of interest in electric mobility. Since 2021, Tesla has built its sales structure in India, while Musk initially pointed out high import tariffs as the main obstacle. During the April 2024 earnings call, he stated that Tesla should first optimize its current production lines before building a new Indian factory.
Musk has demonstrated his desire to introduce Starlink satellite internet service to India along with his Tesla operations. The recent hiring surge by Tesla shows clear ambition to enter the Indian EV market despite ongoing uncertainties about manufacturing in the country.
