On Thursday, Elon Musk tweeted  that Tesla "is still working through a lot of challenges" with the government in India. Today, Maharashtra Minister Jayant Patil replied to his tweeted assuring him that Tesla will get the necessary co-operation from Maharashtra. 

COMMERCIAL BREAK
SCROLL TO CONTINUE READING

See Zee Business Live TV Streaming Below:

.@elonmusk, Maharashtra is one of the most progressive states in India. We will provide you all the necessary help from Maharashtra for you to get established in India. We invite you to establish your manufacturing plant in Maharashtra," tweeted Jayant Patil from his official Twitter handle. 

 

Tesla had plans to begin selling imported cars in India last year and has been lobbying the government to slash import taxes on electric vehicles (EVs) before it enters the market, as per a Reuters report. It October, Tesla took the demands to the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's office. 

One must note that the Indian market for premium EVs is still in its infancy and charging infrastructure is scare. However, though Tesla is holding out for a cut in import duties, luxury carmaker Mercedes Benz will start assembling the electric version of its flagship S-class sedan, the EQS, in India later this year. 

Furthermore, it has to be noted that in an attempt to promote the electric vehicles, the central government has issued new guidelines, Zee Business reporter Ambarish Pandey reported. 

As per these new guidelines, any person/institution will now be able to set up public charging stations without a licence. Just need to ensure the technical, security as well as performance standards and protocols fixed for this. Also, the infrastructure for public EVs will be rolled out in a phased manner as per the new guidelines. According to government instructions, "the same tariff will apply to battery charging stations (BCS). The tariff applicable to domestic consumption will apply to domestic charging.