Tesla Signs Deal For First India Showroom

Photo: @Tesla

India-West News Desk

NEW DELHI – Tesla has signed a lease deal to open its first showroom in Mumbai, moving towards its goal of selling imported cars in India, according to registration papers. This follows the company’s decision to drop similar plans last year.

Reuters said the papers show the company has signed a five-year lease from February 16, 2025, and will pay rent of about $446,000 for the first year for 4,003 square feet, almost the size of a basketball court. The rent will increase by 5% every year, with a total expense over five years exceeding $2.5 million.

The showroom will be situated near Mumbai’s airport, according to the papers.

Reuters reported last month that Tesla had selected locations for two showrooms in New Delhi and Mumbai, days after the carmaker’s chief, Elon Musk, met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the U.S.

Tesla has since posted close to two dozen mid-level jobs in India, including store, service, and customer relationship managers.

The Tesla showroom space has been booked close to an Apple retail outlet in a nearby mall of Jio World Drive, run by Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance.

While Tesla plans to sell imported cars from its India showrooms, tariffs of over 100% remain a challenge, with Musk repeatedly complaining that they are among the steepest in the world. Reuters pointed out Musk has found support from Trump, who has repeatedly criticized India’s high taxes, especially on automobiles, and has threatened reciprocal action.