After decades of waiting, and many twists and turns along the way, Tesla is officially in India.
Tesla has opened its first store in India. The store is located in the Bandra-Kurla complex in Mumbai. The store will be inaugurated today at an event.
The store has a large glass storefront. The Tesla logo is displayed on the sides. As per regulations in Mumbai, Tesla’s name is written in both Marathi and English on the store. Early in the morning, there was security around the store, and the cars in the store were covered up.
As expected, Tesla’s cars will cost a lot more in India than they do in the US, thanks to the near 100% duties that India charges for cars that are manufactured outside India. Tesla’s model Y RWD (Rear Wheel Drive) is available for Rs. 61.09 lakh, while the LR RWD (Long Range Rear Wheel Drive) is available for Rs. 69.15 lakh. These cars cost between Rs. 35-40 lakh in the US. Users can currently register their cars in one of three locations — Mumbai, Delhi and Gurgaon. Users buying the their cars would need to pay Rs. 22,200 as a non-refundable order deposit, and will have to pay Rs. 3 lakh within 7 days.
Tesla had bookings in India all the way back in 2016. Back then, the booking could have been made for just $1000 for the Tesla 3. Hundreds of Tesla enthusiasts in India had ordered the car, but nothing happened after that — Tesla’s India plans never materialized. The Indian government wanted Tesla to begin manufacturing cars in India before it could sell them in the country, and Tesla didn’t seem keen to start manufacturing in India. There was a period in the later years where it appeared that Tesla would set up its manufacturing plants in India, but that didn’t materialize. Finally, in 2025, Tesla has opened up its first store in India.
Tesla’s price tag in India is steep, but the cars will likely be popular in the country. There’s no shortage of luxury cars that are popular in India around this price point, and Tesla and Elon fans would likely not mind splurging for one. And Tesla’s first store in India might end up being the springboard for the company expanding its presence in the country, and also eventually manufacturing its cars and robots on Indian shores.