'Because we Indians are here': Sajjan Jindal on why Elon Musk can't be successful in India; cites Mahindra, Tata

Jindal Group MD Sajjan Jindal recently expressed doubts over tech billionaire Elon Musk's ability to crack the Indian market. The Jindal Group boss said that Musk is in the US and he cannot be successful in India since Indians are here.  

Speaking at the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year awards, Jindal did not spare any punches. "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," said Jindal. 

He also said that giants such as Mahindra & Mahindra and Tata Motors are too deeply entrenched in the Indian market for Musk to even make a dent. While pointing out the reality of the Tesla vs Indian automakers contest, Jindal also acknowledged Musk's work through SpaceX. 

"He (Musk) cannot produce what Mahindra can do, what Tata can do. Not possible. He can do under Trump's shadow. He can do in the US. He's super smart. There's no question about it. He's maverick. He's super smart. He's doing this SpaceX and stuff like that. He's done amazing things." 

Jindal said that it is not an easy job for a foreign company to be successful in the Indian market. Meanwhile, Tesla has leased a 4,003-sq ft office space in the Maker Maxity building in Mumbai's Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) area. 

As part of the lease deal, Tesla India has submitted a security deposit of ₹2.11 crore and will pay ₹35.26 lakh as monthly rent, with a 5 per cent annual escalation. The lease agreement is valid for 5 years beginning from February 2025. 

The office space is located near the Apple retail store at Reliance Industries (RIL)-owned Jio World Drive. Moreover, the US-based automaker has listed 20 job openings in India -- 15 in Mumbai and 5 in Pune. It is also exploring showroom locations in Mumbai and Delhi. 

Tesla's Model Y is expected to the automaker's first offering in India, with its launch expected in the second half of 2025. Tesla Model Y is expected to be priced between₹ 60-70 lakh, with its competitors being entry-level EV offerings from Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Audi.