The Tesla factor: Its India entry as a disruptor may have limited impact

The possible game changer could lie in the fact that Tesla reportedly sources components from India worth $1 billion a year

After abortive attempts in 2022 and 2024, Tesla could finally be making its debut on Indian roads in the second quarter this year. An unusual one-to-one meeting between Tesla chief Elon Musk and Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the latter’s recent visit to Washington appears to have galvanised the world’s second-largest electric-car manufacturer to take a definitive gamble on India. In the bigger picture, the negotiations around Tesla can be seen as part of the Indian government’s agenda of re-examining the tariff regime, partly in response to American President Donald Trump’s threats of imposing reciprocal high tariffs on Indian exports