Paytm CEO asks Elon Musk to deliver first Tesla car in India at Taj Mahal

Vijay Shekhar Sharma, however, warned Musk about the challenges of building full-self driven cars on Indian roads because of running into the risk of 'most unruly road users'

Vijay Shekhar Sharma, Managing Director and CEO
Paytm CEO Vijay Shekhar Sharma
IANS New Delhi
2 min read Last Updated : May 10 2022 | 3:18 PM IST

Even as Tesla CEO Elon Musk and his mother took to memory lanes remembering their visit to Taj Mahal, the world's richest man on Tuesday was asked by Paytm's founder and CEO Vijay Shekhar Sharma to deliver the first Tesla car at the historic monument.

"When are you coming here to deliver the first @Tesla here at The Taj?" Sharma asked Musk on Twitter.

This was in response to Musk's reply to a follower who had on Monday shared a photo of Agra Fort and tweeted: "Amazing facade detail of the Red Fort in Agra, India."

Musk responded saying; "It is amazing. I visited in 2007 and also saw the Taj Mahal, which truly is a wonder of the world".

His mother Maye also shared an interesting anecdote along with pictures about Musk's grandparents who flew to the World Heritage Site in Agra on their way to Australia from South Africa in 1954.

Sharma, however, warned Musk about the challenges of building full-self driven cars on Indian roads because of running into the risk of "most unruly road users"."It will be an incredible challenge for Tesla to build FSD for India. We are known to be the most unruly road users," Sharma said.

It is not the first time that Musk is being prodded for his plans on setting up a Tesla factory in India.

Several states in India have invited Tesla to set up its manufacturing plants there.

In January, Telangana minister K T Rama Rao invited Musk to set up Tesla's shop in Telangana. Maharashtra Water Resources Minister Jayant Patil also offered the Tesla chief to set up manufacturing in the state for electric cars.

However, Musk has said that he is facing challenges from the government for releasing its products in India.

"Tesla isn't in India yet due to "Challenges with the government," he had posted.

Musk has said that he wants to launch cars in India, but the country's import duties on EVs are "highest in the world by far".

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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Topics :TeslaPaytmVijay Shekhar Sharma

First Published: May 10 2022 | 3:16 PM IST

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