It appears that Tesla's rumored expansion to India is delayed but close to becoming a reality, as co-founder and CEO Elon Musk was slated to visit the country at the end of April.
As reported by Reuters, Musk said he would be meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on April 22. Afterward, he was expected to officially announce his plans to invest in a new factory in the country.
"It's a natural progression to provide Tesla electric vehicles in India," Musk said in a SpaceX session widely shared on X, formerly known as Twitter.
The weekend before the meeting, however, Musk announced on X that he was postponing the trip because of "very heavy obligations" with Tesla. He's expected to reschedule the trip later this year.
EVs have surged in popularity in recent years, and the iconic automaker has led the way. In 2023, the Tesla Model Y was the best-selling car in the world.
Considering all the benefits, it's not hard to see why. Gas prices have spiked to record highs in recent years, and consumers can charge their EVs for a fraction of the cost. These vehicles can help us breathe easier in the long term, too, as they don't generate tailpipe pollution.
According to a joint study between Boston College, the Indian Council of Medical Research, and the Public Health Foundation of India, air pollution was linked to 17.8% of all deaths in India in 2019 — a year in which the country had the largest pollution-related death toll worldwide.
The country has invested in clean-energy solar projects as part of the solution. While its EV market is already growing, Tesla's expected investment could provide a further boost.
The automaker has been expanding its Supercharger network and plans to add to its gigafactory portfolio worldwide. High import taxes were holding back an investment in India, but Electrek reported that the government compromised on the issue in March. That, in turn, appears to have cleared the way for Tesla to enter the Indian market.
"We invite global companies to come to India. I'm confident India will become a global hub for EV manufacturing and this will create jobs and improve trade," Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said at a press briefing in March, according to Reuters.
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