Tesla has finally launched in India, opening its first showroom in Mumbai’s Bandra Kurla Complex nine years after Elon Musk first promised the move.
The 4,000-square-foot “Experience Center” features the Model Y in rear-wheel drive (RWD) and long-range RWD versions, both imported from Shanghai. Prices start at ₹59,89,000 (~$68,000) for standard RWD and ₹67,89,000 (~$79,000) for long-range. A full self-driving add-on is available for ₹600,000 (~$7,000).
Indian buyers can order the Model Y now for Delhi, Gurugram, and Mumbai with a ₹22,220 (~$260) non-refundable deposit. Deliveries for the RWD start in Q3, with long-range arriving in Q4. 
Tesla plans to build four charging stations each in Mumbai and Delhi, including Superchargers. A second store will open in Delhi this month.
Tesla will import cars from its Berlin factory once the India-EU free trade deal is signed, TechCrunch learned.
India is the world’s fourth-largest auto market but has a tiny EV footprint. The government aims for 30% EV sales by 2030.
Elon Musk teased Tesla’s India plans back in 2016, even taking $1,000 deposits before refunding them due to delays.
The Indian government has pushed Tesla hard to start local manufacturing, but Musk remains unconvinced.
In 2023, India’s commerce minister said Tesla planned to almost double India-based sourcing to $1.9 billion. But the company is “not interested in starting manufacturing in India,” Heavy Industries Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy confirmed.
Tesla has hired staff and lists many open jobs in India but currently lacks a dedicated country head after Prashanth Menon resigned in May. CFO Vaibhav Taneja oversees operations.
India cut EV import taxes in 2024 to ease import duties. Tesla warned high tariffs made customers “anxious” but still calls India a “very hot” market.
The India launch arrives as Tesla faces declining sales elsewhere. China sales rose 16% YoY but Tesla suffered its third straight quarterly delivery drop. Europe sales plunged 28% YoY in May. U.S. sales fell 13% in H1.
Global sales dropped 13% to 443,956 in Q2.
Tesla is betting on India growth but its global challenges keep mounting.
