NEW DELHI (Reuters) – Tesla Inc. has taken a step closer to launching in India later this year by registering a company in the country, a regulatory filing said on Tuesday.
Tesla Motors India and Energy Private Limited was established on January 8 with headquarters in the southern city of Bengaluru, a hub for several global technology companies.
The file shows that the Indian unit has three directors, including David Feinstein, who is currently a senior executive at Tesla, according to his LinkedIn profile.
India’s transport minister, Nitin Gadkari, told a local newspaper in December that the American electric car maker would start with sales and then could analyze assembly and manufacturing.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has posted on Twitter several times in recent years, including in October 2020, about an impending foray into India.
The move comes as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi promotes the production and use of electric vehicles to reduce the country’s oil dependence and reduce pollution.
But efforts have been hampered by a lack of investment in production and infrastructure, such as charging stations.
To increase investment, India plans to provide $ 4.6 billion in incentives to companies setting up advanced battery manufacturing facilities, according to a government proposal seen by Reuters.
Reporting by Aditi Shah. Edited by Mark Potter