Piyush Goyal visits Elon Musk-owned Tesla’s EV manufacturing plant in the US; check photos

Piyush Goyal at Tesla: India’s Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal visited Tesla's manufacturing facility in Fremont, California. Due to health related issues, Tesla CEO Elon Musk was not present during Goyal’s visit at the plant, for which the head of the EV manufacturing company apologized. Tesla has been trying to enter the Indian market, but policy issues have been a hurdle. We take a look at some photos from Piyush Goyal’s visit to the Tesla plant in California:

Piyush Goyal stated that the electric vehicle giant Tesla plans to double its auto components imports from India. Goyal, on a four-day visit to the US, highlighted the significant role of Indian professionals in Tesla's operations.

Piyush Goyal's social media post on Elon Musk's platform acknowledged the growth of Indian auto component suppliers in Tesla's EV supply chain. Tesla CEO Elon Musk had previously expressed intentions to visit India in 2024 after meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi in June.

The visit aligns with reports of India considering customs duty concessions for Tesla's potential plant in the country. Goyal had earlier mentioned Tesla's plan to source components worth around $1.9 billion from India in 2023.

Elon Musk expressed regret for not meeting Goyal in person during the visit. “It was an honor to have you visit Tesla! My apologies for not being able to travel to California today, but I look forward to meeting at a future date,” Musk had posted on social media platform X (formerly Twitter).

Tesla in India soon? Recent reports have suggested that the Indian government may look to streamline Tesla’s entry into India in the coming months. In the past the government has said that no separate policy for Tesla incentives is planned. Existing schemes like PLI for auto and advanced chemistry cells remain accessible, Piyush Goyal had earlier stated. (File photo)

The government anticipates increased demand for electric vehicles, contributing to sector growth. The government has implemented PLI schemes for advanced chemistry cell battery storage and the auto, auto-components, and drone industries.

Earlier in the year, PM Narendra Modi had met Elon Musk during his visit to the US. PM Modi had shared on X, “Great meeting you today @elonmusk! We had multifaceted conversations on issues ranging from energy to spirituality.” On his part, Elon Musk had replied, “Great conversation with @NarendraModi”.