Billionaire Elon Musk, the head of Tesla and SpaceX, on Saturday pushed back his much-anticipated visit to India, originally slated for April 21 and 22. Citing pressing commitments at Tesla, Mr Musk reassured on social media that he intended to reschedule for later this year.

This delay throws a curveball into a highly-anticipated visit that had sparked speculation about Tesla and Starlink, Mr Musk’s satellite internet venture, making inroads into the Indian market.

The trip was seen as an opportunity to clarify the companies’ plans for the world’s largest democracy. Some would like to know if India will become home to a multi-billion dollar Tesla factory, a potential boon for the country’s burgeoning electric vehicle (EV) sector.

Discussions surrounding import duty reductions and the roadmap for selling Tesla cars in India were on the agenda.

The government’s recent EV policy, offering incentives for domestic manufacturing, might have provided a solution. However, with Mr Musk’s postponed visit, these discussions will have to wait.

According to the policy, the companies that would set up manufacturing facilities for EV passenger cars will be allowed to import a limited number of cars at a lower Customs or Import Duty of 15 per cent on vehicles costing $35,000 and above for five years from the date of issuance of the approval letter by the government.

At present, cars imported as completely built units (CBUs) attract Customs Duty ranging from 70 to 100 per cent, depending on the engine size and cost, insurance and freight value.