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Sajjan Jindal, JSW Group chairman, doubts Elon Musk’s success in India like Tata and Mahindra, citing the challenging market and high import tariffs on EVs.
Sajjan Jindal, the chairman of JSW Group.
Sajjan Jindal, the chairman and MD of JSW Group, believes that Elon Musk can’t be successful in India, referring to the entry of EV automaker Tesla in the country. He said Musk can’t produce what Tata and Mahindra can do in the country.
“Although Musk is very smart, he can’t be successful in India,” remarked Sajjan Jindal while speaking at the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year awards.
“Elon Musk is not here. He is in the US,” he said. “We Indians are here. He cannot produce what Mahindra can do, what Tata can do – it’s not possible. He can do (it) under Trump’s shadow, in the US. He’s super smart, no question about it. He’s a maverick, doing spacecraft and all that. He’s done amazing work, so I don’t want to take anything from him. But to be successful in India is not an easy job,” Jindal said.
Elon Musk’s Tesla Entry In India
In a big development, Elon Musk’s Tesla has reportedly finalised the location for its first showroom in India. As per the registration papers, the electric carmaker has signed a lease deal to open its showroom in Mumbai, Reuters reported.
The showroom, reportedly the company’s first in India, will be situated in the Maker Maxity building in the business and retail hub of Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) near Mumbai airport, the report said.
The development came days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Tesla CEO Elon Musk in the United States.
As per the papers, Tesla has signed a five-year lease from February 16, 2025, and will pay rent of about $446,000 (around Rs 38,872,030) for the first year for a 4,003 square feet (372 square metre) space, almost the size of a basketball court.
Issue Over 100% Import Tariff On EVs
The 100% tariff on imported EVs has long been the bone of contention between Elon Musk and the Indian government. The US government has also been pushing India to lower tariffs on car imports under a proposed trade deal. However, New Delhi remains hesitant to slash duties too drastically, wary of undercutting its own EV manufacturing push.
