Tesla ‘steps up’ recruitment for senior positions in India as it readies to enter the market

Tesla CEO Elon Musk in January boosted speculation that the company will make its foray in the world’s largest emerging auto market by replying to a tweet on the subject with “as promised”. (Illustration: Moneycontrol)

Elon Musk’s auto sector behemoth Tesla Inc. has begun recruiting for senior roles and leadership positions in India, sources told The Economic Times.

Among the positions Tesla is looking to fill include head of human resources and a head of sales and marketing, one source said.

Moneycontrol could not independently verify the report.

This however comes after Prashanth Menon was appointed Director – India CEO for Tesla in May this year.

The source added that the company is “closely monitoring the Centre’s changes on goods and services tax” (GST) which may reduce cost of electronic vehicles (EV) on the sales side, and is “waiting further incentives for EV makers under India’s production linked incentive (PLI) scheme”.

Tesla did not respond to queries on the matter, as per the report.

Musk in January boosted speculation that the company will make its foray in the world’s largest emerging auto market by replying to a tweet on the subject with “as promised”. After this reports also emerged that the EV maker was in talks with various Indian states to set up its factory, offices, showrooms and R&D centre.

Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa had in February said that Tesla has chosen the state for its first manufacturing plant in India. Tesla did not confirm this, but other sources told the paper a deal – at least for care assembly – has been under negotiations over the past six months.