Tesla cars coming to India: We'll be establishing contact with carmaker at appropriate time, says Gujarat official

The Centre is in touch with US-based electric vehicle maker Tesla to consider setting up a manufacturing facility in India and Gujarat will approach the company at an appropriate time to ensure the state has a significant role in the future plans, a senior state government official said.

Gujarat's Additional Chief Secretary (Industries and Mines Department) S J Haider said that the state is in touch with all likely investors.

The world's largest electric car producer Tesla Inc's chief Elon Musk met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in June in New York.

When asked whether Tesla is in touch with the state authorities, he said: “Not with us, but with the central government. But we have also been trying. We have been in touch with the central government also and we would be reaching out to them also with the support of the central government”.

He said that for the ensuing Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2024, the state would send delegations to different countries and one of the delegations would also be going to the US.

The three-day summit is scheduled from January 10 next year in Gandhinagar.

“So we would be establishing contacts with them at an appropriate point of time … At an appropriate point of time, we would also try to ensure that we have some significant role to play,” Haider told reporters here.

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal recently said that Tesla is looking to source components worth around USD 1.9 billion from India this year against USD 1 billion last year.

Musk, after meeting the Prime Minister, said he plans to visit India in 2024.

When asked if some more semiconductor firms have shown interest, Haider said that 2-3 different countries have expressed interest in the sector after Micron.

Tata Projects last week announced its collaboration with Micron Technology to construct an advanced semiconductor assembly and test plant in Sanand, Gujarat.