Tesla has appointed Sharad Agarwal as Chief Executive Officer of its Indian subsidiary, Tesla India Motors and Energy Private Limited, signalling a stronger local commitment as the U.S. electric vehicle maker looks to revive momentum in a key emerging market.
According to a report by Bloomberg, Agarwal joins Tesla from Mahindra & Mahindra-owned two-wheeler brand Classic Legends, where he served as Chief Business Officer for just over a year. Before that, he led Lamborghini’s India operations for nearly nine years, tripling the luxury marque’s sales during his tenure, and earlier headed sales at Audi India.
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The appointment marks a shift in Tesla’s leadership strategy to bring in more local expertise following a subdued start to its India operations in the third quarter. The company hopes to leverage Agarwal’s experience with premium automotive brands to strengthen Tesla’s market positioning and improve sales performance.
Previously, Tesla managed its India operations remotely through a regional team based in China and other Southeast Asian markets. Isabel Fan, Tesla’s Senior Director for Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, and Macau, oversaw the opening of Tesla’s first Indian showroom in Mumbai in mid-July, followed by another outlet in Delhi a month later. The absence of CEO Elon Musk or other senior global executives at these openings raised questions about India’s current strategic weight in Tesla’s global plans.
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Tesla currently sells only the Model Y in India, available in Standard Range RWD and Long Range RWD variants priced at 5.989 million rupees (about 58,800 euros) and 6.789 million rupees (about 66,600 euros), respectively. The models are imported fully built from China, resulting in high tariffs and premium pricing. As of October, Tesla had received just over 800 orders, falling short of its annual sales target of 2,500 units.
In addition to its two physical stores in Mumbai and Delhi, Tesla also sells the Model Y online nationwide, fulfilling orders via home delivery. The company currently has no plans to expand its retail footprint in India further.
