'Thanks, but no thanks,' says Ola Electric's Bhavish Aggarwal to Elon Musk

Tesla, which has been seeking reduction in import duties to sell its vehicles in India, won't manufacture its products locally unless it is allowed to first sell its cars in the country, its CEO said

"Thanks, but no thanks," is the terse message via Twitter from Ola Electric founder and CEO Bhavish Aggarwal for Tesla boss Elon Musk hours after the latter said the EV giant will not manufacture its products locally unless it is allowed to first sell and service its cars in the country.

American electric carmaker Tesla, which has been seeking reduction in import duties to sell its vehicles in India, will not manufacture its products locally unless it is allowed to first sell and service its cars in the country, company founder and chief executive Elon Musk has said on Friday.

In a tweet responding to a user asking about Tesla setting up a manufacturing plant in India, he said, "Tesla will not put a manufacturing plant in any location where we are not allowed first to sell & service cars."

Last month, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari had said if Tesla was ready to manufacture its electric vehicles in India then there was 'no problem' but the company must not import cars from China.

In August last year, Musk had said Tesla may set up a manufacturing unit in India if it first succeeds with imported vehicles in the country.

Thanks, but no thanks!