'My apologies ...' Elon Musk regrets missing out Piyush Goyal's Tesla factory visit, says he looks forward to meeting commerce minister later

The world's richest man & Tesla boss Elon Musk has extended an apology to India's Commerce Minister, Piyush Goyal, after being unable to meet him during his visit to the Tesla factory in Fremont, California.

Musk expressed his regret on social media, stating, "It was an honour to have you visit Tesla! My apologies for not being able to travel to California today, but I look forward to meeting at a future date."



Goyal, who commenced his four-day visit to the US on November 13, toured Tesla's state-of-the-art manufacturing facility. Despite missing the opportunity to meet Musk due to the CEO's health conditions, Goyal had positive interactions with Indian engineers and finance professionals in senior positions within Tesla.

The Commerce Minister commended the contributions of talented Indian engineers and finance professionals working in senior positions at Tesla. He emphasised the role played by India in Tesla's mobility evolution and highlighted the company's intention to double its component imports from India.

Goyal, sharing his experience on social media, said, "Extremely delighted to see talented Indian engineers and finance professionals working at Senior positions and contributing to Tesla’s remarkable journey to transform mobility."

This meeting holds importance against the backdrop of ongoing speculations about Tesla's plans to establish an electric vehicle manufacturing facility in India.

Tesla's $24,000 Car For India

Reports suggest that the Indian government is contemplating tax concessions for Tesla, with discussions focused on reducing the duty on electric vehicles to 15 per cent. However, it's important to note that nothing has been finalised yet.

According to sources cited by Reuters, Tesla is actively pursuing the establishment of a factory in India, aiming to manufacture a $24,000 car within the country.

In September, Goyal mentioned Tesla's goal of sourcing around $1.9 billion worth of components from India this year, signalling the company's increasing reliance on Indian suppliers.

The ongoing talks between Tesla and the Indian government involve considerations for policy adjustments to facilitate Tesla's entry and expansion in the Indian market, including potential duty concessions for electric vehicle manufacturers.

Strengthening Global Ties

Meanwhile, Goyal's visit to the Tesla plant also coincides with India's engagement in the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) Ministerial Meeting and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in San Francisco.

During his visit, Goyal met with trade ministers from Singapore and South Korea, emphasising collaborative efforts to deepen economic partnerships.