BENGALURU (Reuters) – Billionaire Elon Musk, Tesla Inc., will set up an electric vehicle manufacturing unit in the southern Indian state of Karnataka, according to a government document seen by Reuters on Saturday.
“The American firm Tesla will open an electric car manufacturing unit in Karnataka,” the state government said in a brief statement.
The statement was part of a larger document showing the highlights of India’s budget for its people in the local Kannada language.
Last month, the electric vehicle maker incorporated Tesla Motors India and Energy Private Limited headquartered in the city of Bengaluru in Karnataka, a hub for global technology companies.
The head of state minister, BS Yediyurappa, had then said in a tweet, which was later suppressed, that Tesla would start its operations in India with an R&D unit in Bengaluru.
It was not immediately clear whether Saturday’s statement referred to the same unit.
Tesla and the office of the chief minister of the state of Karnataka did not immediately respond to Reuters ’request for comment.
Musk has tweeted several times about the company’s impending foray into India. In December, Tesla’s CEO confirmed in a Twitter exchange that Tesla will launch in the country in 2021.
India has sought to reduce its dependence on oil and reduce pollution, but its efforts to promote electric vehicles have been hampered by a lack of investment in manufacturing and infrastructure, such as charging stations.
To increase investment, India plans to offer $ 4.6 billion in incentives to companies that install advanced battery manufacturing facilities, Reuters reported last year.
Reports of Aakriti Bhalla and Bhargav Acharya in Bengaluru; Editing by Gareth Jones and Steve Orlofsky