Marking a major milestone in its long-awaited entry into the Indian market, US electric vehicle giant Tesla has finalized a deal to set up its first showroom in Mumbai’s Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC). This lease agreement is reportedly among India’s most expensive commercial space deals.
Tesla will occupy a 4,000 sq. ft. ground-floor space in a commercial tower at BKC to showcase its car models, with a reported monthly lease rent of approximately ₹900 per sq. ft., totaling around ₹35 lakh per month. The lease is for a five-year term, and the company plans to open another showroom in Delhi’s Aerocity.
The deal was sealed weeks after Tesla CEO Elon Musk met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Washington. Following the meeting, Tesla posted 13 job openings in India, signaling a strong push toward its market entry.
Recent developments in February suggest Tesla could be preparing for an official launch in the coming months. This aligns with ongoing discussions on the India-US Bilateral Trade Agreement, which was announced after Modi met with then-US President Donald Trump.
Currently, India imposes a 110% import duty on vehicles, a key issue raised by Trump, who argued that such high tariffs pressured Tesla to establish a manufacturing unit in the country.
In a recent interview, Trump said that if Tesla were to set up a factory in India to bypass these tariffs, it would be “unfair” to the US. “Every country in the world takes advantage of us, and they do it with tariffs… It is impossible to sell a car, practically, in, for example, India,” he had said.
Tesla has initiated its hiring process in India, listing 13 job openings across customer service, operations, and sales departments on LinkedIn. While five of these roles are available in Mumbai and Delhi, the remaining positions are based in Mumbai.
The company is recruiting for various positions, including:
- Customer Support Specialist
- Inside Sales Advisor
- Tesla Advisor
- Service Advisor
- Order Operations Specialist
- Service Manager
- Store Manager
- Parts Advisor
- Business Operations Analyst
- Service Technician
- Consumer Engagement Manager
- Customer Support Advisor
- Delivery Operations Specialist
These roles highlight Tesla’s commitment to building a strong team in India as it prepares for its market entry.
