Musk prefers to visit Indonesia as top Indian ministers fail to impress him


New Delhi/Jakarta, May 16 (IANS): Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has decided to visit Indonesia in November this year, as he reportedly wraps up Tesla operations in India amid continuous requests from top ministers and senior politicians to come and manufacture electric cars in the country.

The Indonesian government wants Musk to set up a world-class electric batteries industry as the country has vast nickel reserves.

Indonesian President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo met Musk in Starbase, SpaceX's rocket production facility, test site, and spaceport in Boca Chica, Texas, over the last weekend and invited him to come to Indonesia.

According to Jakarta Globe, Musk admitted that he is very much interested in the future of Indonesia, which he feels has "great potential" for some collaboration with Tesla and SpaceX.

"Musk also mentioned Indonesia's large population and consistent economic growth as factors that make him interested in the most populous country in Southeast Asia, the report said.

Tesla has been aggressive in sourcing nickel for its electric vehicle batteries.

Meanwhile, ministers in India, especially Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, keep on making requests to the Tesla CEO to come and manufacture electric cars in India.

From Telangana Minister for Industries, KT Rama Rao, to Maharashtra Minister and state NCP President Jayant Patil, several Indian leaders have made repeated appeals to Musk to bring Tesla to India, but to no avail.

Musk had said that he faced challenges from the government for releasing its products in India.

Currently, India levies 100 per cent tax on imported cars priced at more than $40,000 (Rs 30 lakh), inclusive of insurance and shipping expenses, while cars less than $40,000 are subject to 60 per cent import tax.

With a $40,000 (over Rs 30 lakh) price tag, Tesla Model 3 may remain as an affordable model in the US but with import duties, it would become unaffordable in the Indian market with an expected price tag of around Rs 60 lakh.

Meanwhile, the team Musk hired in India last year has now been diverted to focus on the Middle-East and the larger Asia-Pacific markets.

Nishant Prasad, in-charge of establishing Tesla's supercharger network in India, has updated his LinkedIn profile to Charging Operations Lead-APAC.

Manoj Khurana, who was Tesla India's first recruit, responsible for public policy and business development, relocated to California last month to take up a product role.

 

  

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Comment on this article

  • Dev, Mangalore

    Mon, May 16 2022

    I had predicted this scenario when ED arbitrarily attached Global giant Amway's bank accounts & factory with fake allegations. FDI would skip India as no legal business can survive by greasing the palms of corrupt agencies & their bosses with a cut. Elon Musk has more greener pastures than India where the economic development of their country is more important than amassing wealth for some politicians doesn't matter over the interest of their citizens & their country.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [12] Reply Report Abuse

  • Narendra Kumar, Mangalore

    Mon, May 16 2022

    You said it 100% correct and that is Last 8 year's EASE of doing business in India. Elon Musk is not a fool and he knows very well the pulse of business and current Indian Political regime's greed for money!!!. Toyota is paying heavily today to Indian Government!!!. Ford is exiting in India!!!. Honda stopped manufacturing certain model cars in India!!!. This list is long....

    DisAgree [1] Agree [8] Reply Report Abuse

  • Pradeep, Bengaluru

    Mon, May 16 2022

    Musk is a nobody and need not be "impressed". This is not even news! Just a matter of time... Avinya will eat Tesla for breakfast. Pradeep

    DisAgree [24] Agree [1] Reply Report Abuse

  • Vinod Kumar, Mangalore

    Mon, May 16 2022

    Already businesses from BJP ruled states are moving into Non-BJP states. So, what’s surprising in foreigners declining business in India. While China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, SriLanka having modern top of the class technology India under BJP will have muzzle loader guns.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [18] Reply Report Abuse

  • Alan, Mangalore/U.S.A

    Mon, May 16 2022

    Pradeep, Sour grapes Eh!, Actually Elon musk is the richest person on the planet with a personal wealth of $268 Billion. Elon Musk was very unimpressed with the likes of Modi and Gadkari and just did not want to have anything to do with India. It is just a matter of time till other companies see the prevailing communal tensions in India and move out.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [16] Reply Report Abuse

  • Sameer, Riyadh

    Mon, May 16 2022

    Musk was asked 40% for Licensing the Spacex Satellite Internet. So he showed 'thenga' to the BJ party. Sad that Gadkari missed out to get a Tesla as gift unlike Volvo bus.

    DisAgree Agree [8] Reply Report Abuse

  • Raj, Mangalore

    Tue, May 17 2022

    Elon Musk with a net worth of $220 billion is a nobody according to you. What, may I ask, is your net worth?

    DisAgree Agree [1] Reply Report Abuse

  • Sameer, Riyadh

    Mon, May 16 2022

    There is ' consistent economic growth' in India too......only in Amdani companies ;) ;) ;)

    DisAgree [3] Agree [21] Reply Report Abuse

  • geoffrey, hat hill

    Mon, May 16 2022

    Musk must've taken our MP's forecast that his $ would be 15 ₹ pretty seriously.

    DisAgree Agree [16] Reply Report Abuse

  • AD, Mangalore

    Mon, May 16 2022

    Nishanth Prasad must have advised Elon Musk that present enviroment in India is not conducive to invest in India.

    DisAgree [2] Agree [20] Reply Report Abuse

  • Harry, Mlore

    Mon, May 16 2022

    Why that much begging, give importance to Indian cars and to who supports India.

    DisAgree [16] Agree [9] Reply Report Abuse

  • Ahmed, Bangalore

    Mon, May 16 2022

    @Harry, begging? Without begging no foreign companies would have landed here. What is there in our country if there are no foreign investment. If all IT packs up we will be left with Pakoda business.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [16] Reply Report Abuse

  • Harry, Mlore

    Tue, May 17 2022

    please understand my comment, regardless of corrupt politicians, corrupt in every party, my message is that, you should promote Indian made / companies EV s to come up, if musk want to manufacture outside and sell it in India then why to impress him !! even though there is high taxation in India, still Indian companies are making EVs so, let them promote it. i totally agree on corruption, all parties are same....if not then there are middle men to make corrupt...same like PSI scam, how much they are paying, so how much they have to get it back !! just imagine, do you this BJP or Cong exempted from this scam ??

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  • Vinod Kumar, Mangalore

    Mon, May 16 2022

    Wh contributed most for your PM CARES Fund begging bowl??!.

    DisAgree Agree [12] Reply Report Abuse

  • Vinod Kumar, Mangalore

    Mon, May 16 2022

    Musk doesn’t want 40%+ commission business per year with BJP govt. He wants BJP to earn money legally. If it was any other govt in the centre Musk would have already set up business in India.

    DisAgree [3] Agree [29] Reply Report Abuse


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