Spark News India Igniting Minds Daily
Former Finance Minister and Congress leader P. Chidambaram took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday following Tesla chief Elon Musk’s surprise visit to China, after postponing his planned trip to India.
Chidambaram pointed out Musk’s decision to defer his visit to India citing “Tesla obligations,” only to subsequently visit China and engage in talks with Chinese Premier Li Qia, discussing plans to introduce Tesla’s new self-driven car in the Chinese market.
Highlighting the discrepancy, Chidambaram quipped, “Hon’ble PM of India privately fumes and publicly claims that the Indian government is a majboot Sarkar.”
Elon Musk’s scheduled visit to India, which was anticipated to unveil significant investment proposals and include a meeting with PM Modi, was postponed due to purported commitments to Tesla’s ongoing projects.
Earlier speculations hinted at a potential $2 billion investment by Tesla in establishing an electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing plant in India, bolstered by the government’s decision to reduce import taxes on vehicles from foreign carmakers pledging local manufacturing investments. However, formal announcements regarding these developments have been delayed.
In contrast, Musk’s swift visit to China yielded significant progress, with Tesla Inc. securing in-principle approval from Chinese authorities to deploy its driver-assistance system in the country’s burgeoning auto market. This marks Musk’s second visit to China, underscoring the strategic importance of the Chinese market for Tesla, with its Shanghai factory experiencing substantial growth and contributing significantly to the company’s global operations.
The developments underscore the challenges and opportunities in India’s efforts to attract foreign investments in the EV sector, juxtaposed with the rapid advancements and favorable conditions witnessed by competitors in alternative markets like China.
