Washington DC:

Days after Tesla started hiring staff in India, signalling its potential entry into the market, US President Donald Trump has said that any potential plans of the EV maker to build a factory in India, to circumvent that country’s tariffs, would be ‘very unfair’.  The US President made the remarks during a joint interview with Tesla CEO Elon Musk for Fox News’ Sean Hannity.

President Trump recalled that he called out India’s high duty on cars during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the United States last week, but agreed to work towards an early trade deal and resolve their standoff over tariffs.

During his US visit, PM Modi also met Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who has long criticised India for having import tariffs of around 100 per cent on EVs which protect local automakers such as Tata Motors in the world’s third largest auto market, where EV adoption is still at a nascent stage.

Mr Trump said it is “impossible” for Elon Musk to sell a car in India. “Every country in the world takes advantage of us, and they do it with tariffs… It is impossible to sell a car, practically, in, as an example, India,” he said.

However, the Indian government in March unveiled its new EV policy, lowering import taxes substantially to 15 per cent if a carmaker invests at least $500 million and sets up a factory.

President Trump said it would be “unfair” to America if Elon Musk did decide to build a factory there. “Now, if he built the factory in India, that’s okay, but that’s unfair to us. It’s very unfair,” Trump said in the interview.

India’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Trump’s Reciprocal Tariff Threat

Donald Trump’s plans for reciprocal tariffs on every country that taxes US imports have raised the risk of a global trade war with American friends and foes. Under his proposed reciprocal tariff system, the US would impose the same level of tariffs on imports from other countries as those nations levies on American goods.

“If I said 25 per cent, they’d say, ‘Oh, that’s terrible.’ I don’t say that anymore… because I say, ‘Whatever they charge, we’ll charge.’ And you know what? They stop,” Mr Trump told Fox News on Tuesday while talking about his tariff plans.

Tesla’s India Entry

Elon Musk’s Tesla is expected to enter the Indian market as early as April this year, according to sources. The EV maker has reportedly selected locations for two showrooms in the Indian cities of New Delhi and Mumbai and posted job ads for 13 mid-level roles in India. 

However, Tesla does not currently manufacture any vehicles in India.

Tesla has long been rumoured to foray into India’s electric vehicle (EV) market but has faced several hurdles related to localised factory investments, regulations, and high taxes. It has previously lobbied for policy incentives as well as lower import duties.

New Delhi:

In its Union Budget 2025-26, India has significantly slashed customs duties on high-end motorcycles, cars and smartphone parts, a move that seems to give a boost to American companies like Harley-Davidson, Tesla and Apple, after US President Donald Trump called out New Delhi as a “tremendous tariff maker.”

However, according to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, custom duty rationalisation was introduced to ensure the Indian economy becomes aatmanirbhar (self-reliant), and was not a signal amid Mr Trump’s tariff announcements. 

“We are looking at our own economy. We are looking to strengthen the foundation of the Indian economy, to make it a manufacturing hub,” she said while speaking exclusively to NDTV’s Sanjay Pugalia. 

Harley Davidson To Get Cheaper In India

In her budget speech on Saturday, Ms Sitharaman announced that import duty on high-end motorcycles, with an engine capacity of up to 1,600 cc, which are imported as completely built-up (CBU) units, will see a reduction of 10 per cent to 40 per cent as against 50 per cent earlier. 

Per the Union Budget 2025-26, the import duty on semi-knocked down (SKD) kits has been slashed to 20 per cent versus 25 per cent earlier. Moreover, the completely knocked down (CKD) units will now be taxed 10 per cent, against 15 per cent earlier.

The move will boost the import of quintessentially American Harley-Davidson motorcycles into India– high tariffs on which has long been a bone of contention between India and the US.

Harley-Davidson entered Indian markets in 2010 as part of the “mangoes for motorcycles” deal signed between India and the US in 2007. However, the American motorbike maker exited India about a decade later, in September 2020, as part of its broader additional cutbacks.

But a month later, Harley-Davidson motorcycles returned to Indian markets after MotoCorp Ltd formed a non-equity partnership with the American brand to make and sell its bikes in India. Today, Hero MotoCorp makes and sells the Harley-Davidson 440X-the smallest motorcycle in the company’s lineup. 

During his first term in the White House, Mr Trump had raised the issue of 50 per cent import duty on Harley Davidson and said it was “unacceptable”.

Move To Attract Tesla?

Separately, Ms Sitharaman announced that the tariff rate on luxury cars, including station wagons and racecars, priced above $40,000 has been slashed to 70 per cent from 125 per cent levied earlier. She also announced that basic customs duties for the lithium-ion batteries used for electric vehicles in India have been totally scrapped.

A majority of the abovementioned EV makers are already present in India and are developing automobiles for Indian roads. But, the move could be an incentive for American companies like Tesla, which had been greatly eyeing the vast and emerging Indian EV market.

In April 2024, Tesla CEO Elon Musk made plans to visit India and meet PM Modi, sparking speculation of an investment into the country. However, he cancelled the visit due to his “very heavy Tesla obligations.”

The Apple Story

In budget 2025-26, Ms Sitharaman announced that 28 items in mobile phone battery production have been exempted from customs duty that arrive from countries like the US or China. The move is aimed at reducing the cost of mobile phones and accessories in India. It will also help boost local production, especially as India steadily evolving to become the world’s second-largest mobile phone manufacturer.

America’s Apple will benefit greatly from this import tax slash. According to a Reuters report, Apple has captured a 23 per cent share in total revenue during 2024. 

India Jumping Hoops Amid Trump’s Tariff Threats?

With US President Trump looking to prioritise local industry under his “America First” trade policy, India’s latest move around import tax is being viewed as a strong signal to the American administration, as it seeks an assurance that the US will not raise taxes or impose additional trade barriers against Indian products.

Earlier, Trump had claimed that India imposes the highest tariffs on foreign goods among major economies and had threatened to introduce reciprocal tariffs on Indian products. He has also threatened to impose 100% tariffs on countries within the BRICS bloc–including India– if they attempted to move away from using the US dollar.

It is speculated that with tax cuts on imports, India is also aiming to take advantage of the US-China trade war and increase its own share of global supply chains. Trump tariffs are becoming global trade disruptors, leaving the market uneasy. With import tax cuts, India would be able to deal better with an otherwise unpredictable year, according to a Reuters report.

Days before blowing up a Tesla Cybertruck outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas, 37-year-old Army Ranger Matthew Livelsberger boasted to his ex-girlfriend about renting the vehicle, saying it made him “feel like Batman”.

Livelsberger, who was married and had a child, had not spoken to his ex-girlfriend Alicia Arritt since their breakup in 2021, the Denver Gazette reported.

At 9 am on December 29, three days before the explosion, he wrote to Arritt: “I rented a Tesla Cybertruck. It’s the s***.”

Seven minutes later, he texted her again: “I feel like Batman or halo.”

Batman, the iconic fictional superhero created by DC Comics, is known for his high-tech gadgets and his sleek Batmobile – a vehicle that symbolises power, innovation, and mystery.

Livelsberger – who was identified using his military ID – had allegedly shot himself in the mouth in the Cybertruck before the vehicle exploded, injuring seven people.

Image of Tesla Cybertruck that exploded in flames outside the Trump International Hotel, Las Vegas on Wednesday.

Tesla founder Elon Musk claimed that the explosion was an act of terrorism.

“The explosion was caused by very large fireworks and/or a bomb carried in the bed of the rented Cybertruck and is unrelated to the vehicle itself”, Musk wrote in a post on X.

A monitor displays an image of a burned semiautomatic firearm recovered from the Tesla Cybertruck.

CCTV footage showed the vehicle being driven up and down Las Vegas Boulevard before being parked in front of the hotel. It detonated moments later.

Here’s footage of the Tesla Cybertruck exploding in front of Trump’s hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada today. Hope everyone is safe! pic.twitter.com/kdO8N4XTLl

— Harry Sisson (@harryjsisson) January 1, 2025

“The evil knuckleheads picked the wrong vehicle for a terrorist attack. Cybertruck actually contained the explosion and directed the blast upwards. Not even the glass doors of the lobby were broken,” Musk wrote.

Tesla’s Optimus, a humanoid robot stole the show at the ‘We, Robot’ event held in California, United States of America, on Thursday. Optimus robot was seen dancing, serving drinks, chatting with guests and even posing for a selfie. But what has now gone viral on social media is the interaction between Optimus and one of the guests.

In a one-minute-long video posted by the user @cb_doge on X (formerly Twitter), the guest says, “It’s insane. It is even talking.” After exchanging greetings, he says, “It is crazy, I am talking to a robot.”

During the casual conversation, the guest asks Optimus, “What is the hardest thing about being a robot?” And it said: “Trying to learn how to be as human as you guys are,” leaving the guest in splits.

“And that is something I try harder every day and hope that will help us become better,” it added.

Watch the conversation here:

A conversation between Tesla Optimus bot and a human is the best thing you’ll see on the internet today.

pic.twitter.com/2M9UJPTTLX

— DogeDesigner (@cb_doge) October 11, 2024

Another video shows Optimus knows how to have fun. Emmanuel Huna, X user and an architect and coder as per his bio, shared a video where he is seen playing “Rock, paper and scissors” with Optimus.

I just asked @Tesla Optimus to play rock, paper, scissors, and it did – check it out! pic.twitter.com/NrmEEA9R4M

— Emmanuel Huna (@ehuna) October 11, 2024

“It will basically do anything you want,” said Tesla CEO Elon Musk while introducing Optimus at the ‘We, Robot’ event. “It can be a teacher. It can babysit your kids, walk your dog, mow your lawn, get the groceries, just be your friend, and serve drinks. Whatever you can think of, it will do and it’s going to be awesome,” he added.

In a demo video displayed at the event, Optimus was seen picking up packages and doing household chores like watering plants, cleaning the kitchen top, unloading groceries, and playing with children.

pic.twitter.com/VK9vlGF0Ms

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 11, 2024

Tesla on Tuesday was cleared by a court in the 2019 fatal Model 3 crash that took place in Los Angeles, US, involving its advanced driver-assistance system, Autopilot. The case was filed by two passengers who accused the company of knowing Autopilot was defective when it sold the car. Tesla, on the other hand, argued that human error caused the crash. The court too found that the vehicle did not have a manufacturing defect. Now, Tesla chief Elon Musk also reacted to the news and expressed his belief that if Autopilot had been activated, the driver would likely have been saved.

“The irony is that if Autopilot had been turned on here, it would almost certainly have saved the driver,” Mr Musk wrote in on X (formerly Twitter). 

The irony is that if Autopilot had been turned on here, it would almost certainly have saved the driver

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 1, 2023

Micah Lee was killed in 2019 after their Model 3 veered off a highway, hit a tree, and caught fire. While Mr Lee was killed in the incident, his two passengers were injured. The two passengers then approached the court alleging that Autopilot caused the accident and demanded over $400 million in punitive damages. This trial was the first in the United States that alleged that Tesla’s autopilot feature led to death. 

Tesla, however, denied liability alleging that Mr Lee had consumed alcohol and that it was unclear if Autopilot was engaged during the crash. The Jury in Riverside County Superior Court also voted in favour of Mr Musk’s company, saying that the vehicle did not have a manufacturing defect. 

Also Read | Ola EV Sales Up By 30%, CEO Says Staff ”Working More Than 70 Hours” To Meet Demand

This is a major victory for Tesla as it faces several other similar lawsuits across the country. But the automaker continues to test and roll out its Autopilot and more advanced Full Self-Driving (FSD) system, which Mr Musk has touted as crucial to his company’s future. 

Notably, the latest verdict represents Tesla’s second big win this year. The automaker won an earlier trial in Los Angeles in April with a strategy of saying that it tells drivers that its technology requires human monitoring, despite the “Autopilot” and “Full Self-Driving” names. The case was about an accident where a Model S swerved into the curb and injured its driver. 

The lawsuit accuses Tesla of repeatedly making false statements. (File)
| Photo Credit: REUTERS

In a victory for Tesla, a judge has ruled that a group of vehicle owners must pursue claims that the company misled about its Autopilot features in individual arbitration rather than court.

The ruling means Tesla will not have to face class action claims on behalf of much larger groups of vehicle owners.

US District Judge Haywood Gilliam in Oakland, California, in a decision issued on Saturday said four Tesla owners who filed a proposed class action last year had agreed to arbitrate any legal claims against the company when they accepted its terms and conditions while purchasing vehicles through a Tesla website.

A fifth plaintiff who did not sign an arbitration agreement waited too long to sue, Gilliam ruled in dismissing that plaintiffs’ claims.

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Tesla did not respond to requests for comment on Monday.

Andrew Kirtley, a lawyer for some of the plaintiffs, said he was prepared to file thousands of individual arbitration cases on behalf of Tesla customers.

“It is telling that Tesla doesn’t want to defend its marketing practices in public in open court but instead has fought to get as many of these claims as possible sent to private arbitration,” Kirtley said in an email.

The lawsuit accuses Tesla of repeatedly making false statements indicating that its advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) technology was on the verge of delivering fully self-driving vehicles.

The plaintiffs all said that they paid thousands of dollars to purchase the optional ADAS technology when they bought Tesla cars between 2017 and 2022.

But instead of delivering on its promises, Tesla’s technology has been unreliable and has led to accidents, injuries and deaths, the plaintiffs claimed.

Tesla has denied wrongdoing. The company moved to send the claims to arbitration, citing the plaintiffs’ acceptance of the arbitration agreement.

Gilliam on Saturday rejected claims by the plaintiffs that the agreements signed by four of the plaintiffs were unenforceable.

The decision came in the midst of the first U.S. trial over allegations that Tesla’s Autopilot feature led to a death because it was based on untested experimental technology that should not have been sold to the public.

The plaintiffs in that trial in California state court allege the Autopilot system caused a Model 3 to veer off a highway near Los Angeles at 65 mph (105 kph), strike a palm tree and burst into flames, killing the owner and injuring two passengers.

Tesla has said the accident was the result of driver error.

(Reporting by Daniel Wiessner in Albany, New York; Editing by Alexia Garamfalvi and Deepa Babington)