Union Minister Mahendra Nath Pandey said on Saturday that Elon Musk and Tesla were welcome in India. But the government would not budge on its policy of Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India).  

American electric carmaker Tesla, which has been seeking a reduction in import duties to sell its vehicles in India, would not manufacture its products locally, unless it was allowed to first sell and service its cars in the country, Tesla founder and Chief Executive Elon Musk had said last month. 

“The government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, has moved ahead swiftly on the Aatmanirbhar Bharat policy and received a very good response on it, and we are not going to compromise on that in any way. “Tesla, Elon Musk are welcome to India, but only according to the country’s policies,” added the Minister for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises. 

In August last year, Musk had said that Tesla might set up a manufacturing unit in India, if it first succeeded with imported vehicles in the country. Currently, India imposes 100 per cent Customs Duty on fully imported cars with CIF (Cost, Insurance and Freight) value more than $40,000 and 60 per cent on those costing less than that amount.