Mumbai (AFP) – Electric vehicle maker Tesla has begun hiring in India, with the company of tycoon Elon Musk issuing advertisements days after US President Donald Trump’s right-hand man met with India’s premier. Tesla has more than a dozen job listings on its website, for both the capital New Delhi and economic hub Mumbai, including for a store manager and service technicians. The job listings were posted on the employment website LinkedIn on Monday.
Tesla’s India push comes after Musk met one-on-one with Prime Minister Narenda Modi in Washington, raising questions over whether the world’s richest man was meeting the Indian leader in an official or business capacity. Musk has been seeking business opportunities in the world’s most populous nation, with media reports last year suggesting it was scouting for factory and showroom locations.
Musk has also sought to open his satellite internet service Starlink in India, with communications minister Jyotiraditya Scindia in November saying the company would be allowed to operate if it complies with “security” regulations. The potential launch of Starlink—with its network of low Earth orbit satellites capable of providing internet to remote and disconnected locations—in the world’s most populous country has been accompanied by fierce policy debates and alleged national security concerns.
Musk was due to visit India in 2024, following suggestions that he would announce major investment plans, but later cancelled the trip due to what he said were “very heavy Tesla obligations.” While India’s electric car market is small, it still represents a growth opportunity for Tesla, which is battling increased Chinese competition and its first slump in annual EV sales.
India has long had steep import taxes for electric vehicles—Musk once complained they were among the “highest in the world”—which had prevented Tesla from making inroads in the absence of local manufacturing. However, India last year cut import taxes on electric vehicles for global automakers that committed to invest $500 million and start local production within three years.
New Delhi had offered quick tariff concessions ahead of Modi’s Washington visit, including slashing duties on high-end motorcycles—a boost to Harley-Davidson, the iconic US manufacturer whose struggles in India have irked Trump. India has also already accepted three US military flights carrying more than 300 migrants as part of Trump’s immigration crackdown.
© 2024 AFP
