Tesla puts on hold India entry, top official quits

New Delhi: Electric car maker Tesla has put on hold its entry to India after failing to get tax cuts on imports.

Having no headway in Tesla's lobbying to cut import tax to 40 percent from 100 percent, a key executive has resigned, according to Reuters.

Since hired in March 2021 as policy and business development executive, Manuj Khurana was key to forming an entry plan for the U.S. carmaker in India.

He spent, reportedly, a year lobbying for tax cut as Tesla would not set up factory before testing the market importing cars from its hub in China.

Indian government insisted Tesla first manufacture locally before availing concessions.

Finding no leeway, Tesla put on hold its plan to enter India, abandoning search for showroom space, according to Reuters.

Tesla's Indian officials were not available for comments, the report said, however sources reportedly said the US car maker's India launch is as good as dead.

Tesla chief Elon Musk earlier said manufacturing would not set up in any nation where it was not first allowed to sell cars.

Tesla is now focusing elsewhere in Asia including Indonesia and Thailand