What makes it worse is that Tesla would be importing its Model Y saloon units from its Shanghai gigafactory in China, with no guidance on manufacturing in India.

Tesla has made its long-awaited entry into India with the opening of its first showroom — nine years after CEO Elon Musk first teased the move in April 2016 and following years of delays and shifting timelines in one of the world’s largest automotive markets.

With delivery estimated to start from the third quarter, Tesla will drive on to India's busy roads, targeting a niche premium EV segment that accounts for just 4% of overall sales in the world's third-largest car market.