During an interview with Fox News, U.S. President Donald Trump criticized the idea of Tesla building a factory in India to avoid the country’s high import tariffs, calling it "unfair" to the United States. Trump highlighted India’s steep duties on cars, which he also addressed during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to the U.S. Although he expressed willingness to work toward a trade agreement, he stressed the difficulty of selling cars in India due to its tariff policies. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has previously voiced concerns about India’s 100% import tax on electric vehicles, which shields local manufacturers like Tata Motors in a market where EV adoption is still developing. India’s new EV policy, introduced in March, reduces tariffs to 15% for automakers investing at least $500 million to build factories. Meanwhile, Tesla has reportedly chosen locations for showrooms in Mumbai and New Delhi, despite not yet manufacturing in India. Trump reiterated that any move by Tesla to establish production facilities in India would be "very unfair" to the U.S.
Publisher: Mustakim Nibir
Copyright © 2026 The Times OF Dhaka. All rights reserved.