Tesla Eyes Telangana: Talks With State Government To Establish Electric Car Plant

Telangana Industries Minister D Sridhar Babu announced that the state government is actively engaging in discussions with Tesla to facilitate the establishment of a electric car plant in the state.

Babu highlighted the state's concerted efforts since December 2023 to attract major investments from global corporations, with a particular focus on tracking Tesla's investment plans in India.

"We have been studying and closely monitoring Tesla's intended investment ventures in India. Our efforts have been directed towards persuading Tesla to choose Telangana as its destination for some time now," stated Babu, emphasising the ongoing dialogue and negotiations with the electric vehicle giant.

The company's reported push towards making electric vehicles (EV) in India comes after New Delhi last month released a new EV policy lowering duty for a limited number of EV imports for companies that commit to making them in the country within three years.

The policy is being seen as targeted at facilitating Tesla’s entry into India as the carmaker had been lobbying for tariff cuts as a precondition to investing in manufacturing operations in the country.

The company expected the factory to reach production of as many as 500,000 cars a year when it reached full capacity

Telangana, renowned for its industry-friendly policies, aims to foster a conducive environment for business growth, as Babu elucidated. The state government is committed to nurturing a progressive and forward-thinking approach, bolstered by world-class infrastructure and a streamlined permissions system, to facilitate seamless operations for companies like Tesla, reports Economic Times.

Babu's remarks followed a news report tagged by BRS leader K T Rama Rao, indicating Tesla Motors' intentions to send a team to India to explore potential locations for an electric car plant, with a proposed investment ranging between USD 2-3 billion.

Rama Rao urged the Telangana government to exert maximum effort in attracting Tesla to the state, suggesting that the Tesla team visit Hyderabad to familiarise themselves with the state's progressive industrial policies.