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Journalism of Courage
Indian business tycoon Sajjan Jindal isn’t convinced that Elon Musk’s Tesla will make a significant impact in India. Speaking at the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year awards, the Jindal Group Managing Director expressed skepticism about Tesla’s ability to compete with homegrown automakers like Tata and Mahindra.
“Elon Musk is not here. He is in the US. He is likely to come. He can’t be successful in this country. Because we Indians are here. We are here,” Jindal said, emphasising the dominance of Indian manufacturers. He also said, “He (Musk) cannot produce what Mahindra can do, what Tata can do. Not possible.”
Jindal, however, did acknowledge Musk’s genius, calling him “super smart,” and lauded his achievements. “He can do it under Trump’s shadow. He can do it in the US. He’s super smart. There’s no question about it. He’s a maverick. He’s super smart. He’s doing this SpaceX and stuff like that. He’s done amazing things,” Jindal said.
A video clip showing Jindal’s comments has since gone viral.
Jindal’s comments have sparked a debate among social media users. One X user agreed with him, pointing out India’s complex market dynamics: “Indeed! Recently, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said that Indian customers are demanding and that India is one of Uber’s most challenging markets,” he commented.
Others, however, pushed back against Jindal’s take. “People said the same thing about Apple, and look at where they are now. Nobody should underestimate anyone. Tesla has the potential to do wonders in India,” wrote a user.
Another user said, “Doing business in India is exponentially harder than in the USA or any other developed country due to poor infrastructure, excessive regulations, a dysfunctional legal system, and horrendous bureaucracy with excessive red tape.”
Meanwhile, Musk seems undeterred. Tesla has already secured 4,000 square feet of office space in Mumbai’s prime Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC). The company has signed a five-year lease starting February 16, 2025, with an initial rent of approximately $446,000 (Rs 4 crore, approximately) for the first year—an indication that Tesla is laying down roots in India, regardless of the skepticism.
