Tesla’s India head steps down as it gears up for long-awaited launch: Report
The Elon Musk-led EV maker has been laying the groundwork for sales and operations in India, reportedly securing lease agreements for its showrooms in Mumbai and New Delhi.
Tesla’s India head, Prashanth Menon, has stepped down as the electric vehicle maker prepares to launch its vehicles in the country, according to a Bloomberg report.
The Elon Musk-led company has been laying down the groundwork to enter Indian markets, reportedly securing lease agreements for its showrooms in Mumbai and New Delhi.
Menon, who had been with the firm for nine years, is also stepping down as the chairman of Tesla India’s board, the report said.
Tesla’s China team is expected to oversee India operations, and no immediate successor has been named, sources told Bloomberg.
The US-based company has been actively hiring for various positions in India across sales, customer support, engineering, and IT, primarily for Mumbai locations. However, no specific launch date has been announced by the company, with reports suggesting that it might look to enter markets soon.
India, the third-largest car market globally, has seen rising adoption of electric vehicles, fueled by government subsidies and strides taken to bolster charging infrastructure across the country.
Additionally, China-based BYD, which competes with Tesla, entered the Indian market in 2007 and currently holds about 2.84% market share, as of 2024.
The Indian government introduced a new EV policy in 2024, which allows automakers who commit to investing at least $500 million in local manufacturing to import up to 8,000 EVs at a reduced customs duty of 15%—encouraging foreign EV original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to enter the market.
Currently, Indian automakers, including Tata Motors and Mahindra and Mahindra, have rolled out their portfolio of electric cars.
Edited by Suman Singh