Tesla begins hiring in India, signals potential entry into EV market

American electric vehicle giant Tesla has initiated recruitment for multiple roles in India, signaling a possible entry into the country’s growing EV market. Job listings on Tesla’s official website indicate openings for positions based in the ‘Mumbai Suburban’ area.

The available roles span across departments, including service advisor, parts advisor, service technician, service manager, sales and customer support, store manager, business operations analyst, customer support supervisor, delivery operations specialist, order operations specialist, inside sales advisor, and consumer engagement manager.

A query seeking confirmation on whether these recruitments align with Tesla’s plans to enter the Indian market and the timeline for commencing sales remained unanswered.

Ties with government and policy developments

Tesla’s hiring drive comes shortly after company founder and billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to the U.S. The discussions had fueled speculation about Tesla’s India plans, especially as the country rolls out policies to attract global EV manufacturers.

Musk had initially planned a visit to India in April 2023 but postponed it citing “very heavy Tesla obligations.” The anticipated trip had raised expectations of an official announcement regarding Tesla’s entry into India.

The recruitment move also aligns with India’s new electric vehicle policy, which offers import duty concessions to companies setting up manufacturing units in the country with a minimum investment of USD 500 million. This policy aims to attract global players like Tesla, which had previously sought import duty reductions to test the Indian market before committing to local manufacturing.

An advisor representing Tesla—The Asia Group (TAG)—had attended a stakeholders’ meeting on the new EV policy alongside representatives from global and Indian automakers, including VinFast, Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, Tata, Mahindra, Kia, Skoda Auto Volkswagen India, Renault, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Audi.

Tesla’s stance on India

Elon Musk had previously stated that Tesla would not manufacture its vehicles in India unless it was first allowed to sell and service them in the country. In August 2021, he had expressed interest in launching Tesla models in India but cited the country’s high import duties as a major challenge.

Currently, cars imported as completely built units (CBUs) attract customs duties ranging from 70 percent to 100 percent, depending on engine size and cost, insurance, and freight (CIF) value.

With Tesla now actively hiring in India, the move is seen as a strong indication that the company is gearing up for a long-awaited entry into one of the world’s fastest-growing EV markets.

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