인도 정부가 "수입산 전기차에 대해 관세 인하를 고려하지 않고 있다"고 밝혔다. 이는 테슬라의 인도 시장 진출이 늦춰질 수 있음을 시사한다.
인도 상공부 관계자는 13일(현지시간) 의회에서 "현재 수입산 전기차에 보조금을 제공하거나 부가가치세를 면제하는 것에 대해 고려하지 않고 있다"고 언급했다. 관계자는 '메이크 인 인디아' 기조 아래 기존 정책은 전기차 산업에 대한 인도 및 해외 기업의 투자를 장려하기 위한 것이라고 강조했다.
인도 정부는 인도에 공장을 건설하는 해외 자동차 제조사에 대해 수입 관세 인하를 논의하는 것으로 알려진 바 있어, 이 같은 발언은 완전히 예상하지 못한 것이다. 이에 따라 인도와 테슬라의 협상이 다시 교착 상태에 빠질 수 있다.
In Blow to Tesla, India Says Not Planning to Cut EV Import Tax (Bloomberg, 12-14)
Tesla wants to import cars before committing to Indian plant
India’s Modi, Musk met for talks in US earlier this year
India’s government said it’s not currently considering reducing taxes on imported electric vehicles, a stance that could delay Tesla Inc.’s plan to enter the market.
“Presently, there is no proposal either to provide an exemption from local value addition cost or to provide a subsidy on the import duty on electric vehicles in India,” Som Parkash, junior minister of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, told parliament late Wednesday.
Parkash said existing policies under the government’s “Make-in-India” push are aimed at encouraging domestic and foreign investment in the EV industry. The government launched a $3.1 billion incentive program in 2021 to boost local EV production. In addition, it’s offering incentives to companies that want to build batteries in India under a $2 billion program.
The government’s statement is an unexpected turn considering it was working on a policy that would have allowed international companies to import electric cars on concessional tax rates if they commit to eventually manufacturing in India, Bloomberg News reported last month.
The talks between Tesla and India could once again end in a deadlock. Both sides were earlier stuck in a year-long impasse as Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration pushed the US automaker to produce cars locally, while Tesla Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk sought lower taxes to first sell vehicles built elsewhere at competitive prices.
While they have resumed dialog since, and Musk even said Tesla would likely make a “significant investment” in the South Asian nation during Modi’s US visit in June, those plans could now get delayed.
India and Tesla were closing in on an agreement that involved selling the US automaker’s cars in the country from next year as well as setting up a factory in two years, Bloomberg reported last month.
The country’s Trade Minister Piyush Goyal, who visited Tesla’s plant in Fremont, California last month, has said that Tesla is planning to almost double purchases of auto parts from India to $1.9 billion this year.