Tesla has started hiring in India, listing key job openings in Mumbai and Delhi. This move followed Elon Musk’s meeting with PM Modi, signaling Tesla’s expansion into the Indian market.
Tesla Inc., the world’s largest electric vehicle manufacturer, has indicated hiring plans in India, which is a key milestone toward its highly awaited Indian market entry. The firm has posted 13 jobs of different categories, ranging from customer-facing to back-end roles, on its LinkedIn page.
The news followed closely on the heels of Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the latter’s visit to the United States, which generated speculation regarding Tesla’s future investments in India.
Tesla’s job openings in India
Bloomberg reported that a minimum of five of the jobs, including advisory and service technician, are offered in both Delhi and Mumbai. Customer engagement manager and delivery operations specialist are mainly offered in Mumbai.
List of available jobs:
Inside Sales Advisor
Customer Support Supervisor
Customer Support Specialist
Service Advisor
Order Operations Specialist
Service Manager
Tesla Advisor
Parts Advisor
Business Operations Analyst
Store Manager
Service Technician
Tesla’s complicated history with India
Tesla has had a bumpy ride with the Indian market because of the high import tariffs on electric cars in India. Musk has been complaining about these tariffs for a long time, which initially prevented Tesla from entering the Indian market.
Nevertheless, marking a big change in policy, India cut basic customs duty to 70 per cent from 110 per cent on the expensive cars worth more than USD 40,000. The change is part of India’s own drive toward de-carbonisation as it heads toward net-zero by 2070.
India’s EV market: A growing opportunity
With increasing disposable incomes and a surge in demand for electric cars, India is emerging as an important market for international automakers. The recent policy changes by the government, such as cutting import duties on EVs for manufacturers investing at least Rs 41.5 billion (USD 500 million) in domestic manufacturing, have attracted India as an even more attractive destination for Tesla.
Musk’s delayed India visit and future plans
Elon Musk was originally slated to travel to India in April 2024 to meet about Tesla’s plans for investment and manufacturing sites. He canceled his visit, though, because of urgent matters at Tesla, such as layoffs and car recalls in the US.
In spite of previous delays, Tesla’s recent hiring campaign indicates growing interest in the Indian market, which may lead to future investment and local manufacturing.
