Tesla starts hiring in India after Musk-Modi meeting
The electric vehicle maker has listed more than a dozen job openings on its website, including positions in New Delhi and Mumbai.
Tesla has been exploring business opportunities in India, with reports last year indicating the company was looking at locations for factories and showrooms. (Photo: Reuters)
TESLA has started hiring in India, with job postings appearing days after Elon Musk met prime minister Narendra Modi in Washington.
The electric vehicle maker has listed more than a dozen job openings on its website, including positions in New Delhi and Mumbai.
Roles include a store manager and service technicians. The listings were also posted on LinkedIn on Monday.
Musk’s meeting with Modi had raised questions about whether it was for official or business purposes.
Tesla has been exploring business opportunities in India, with reports last year indicating the company was looking at locations for factories and showrooms.
Musk has also expressed interest in launching Starlink, his satellite internet service, in India.
In November, India's communications minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said the company would be allowed to operate if it complied with security regulations.
The potential launch of Starlink, which uses a network of low Earth orbit satellites to provide internet in remote areas, has sparked policy debates and national security concerns.
Musk was expected to visit India in 2024, with speculation about major investment announcements. However, he later cancelled, citing “very heavy Tesla obligations.”
India’s electric car market remains small but presents a growth opportunity for Tesla, which is facing increased competition from Chinese automakers and its first annual decline in EV sales.
High import taxes had previously hindered Tesla’s entry into India. Musk had described them as among the “highest in the world.”
However, India reduced import duties last year for global automakers that commit to investing £397 million and starting local production within three years.
Before Modi’s Washington visit, India made tariff concessions, including lowering duties on high-end motorcycles—a move benefiting US manufacturer Harley-Davidson.
Additionally, India has accepted three US military flights carrying over 300 migrants as part of Trump’s immigration policies.
Shein’s UK sales hit £2.05bn in 2024, up 32.3 per cent year-on-year, driven by younger shoppers.
The retailer benefits from import tax loopholes unavailable to high street rivals.
Faces mounting criticism over labour practices and sustainability as it eyes a London listing.
Tax edge drives growth
Chinese fashion giant Shein is transforming Britain’s online clothing market, capturing a third of women aged 16 to 24 while benefiting from tax breaks unavailable to high street rivals.
The fast-fashion retailer’s UK sales surged 32.3 per cent to £2.05bn in 2024, according to company filings, with pre-tax profits rising to £38.3m from £24.4m the previous year. The growth comes as established players like Asos struggle in an increasingly competitive landscape where young consumers prioritise value above all else.
Shein has partly benefited from a tax break on import duty for goods worth less than £135 sent directly to consumers, The rule lets overseas sellers send low-value goods to the UK tax-free, disadvantaging local businesses.
“The growth of Shein and Temu is a huge factor,” said Tamara Sender Ceron, associate director of fashion retail research at Mintel told The Guardian. “It is particularly successful among younger shoppers. It is also a threat to other fashion retailers such as Primark and H&M because of its ultra-low price model that nobody can compete with. It’s changed the market.
"The market dynamics reflect broader shifts in consumer behaviour. Online fashion sales reached £34bn last year, up 3 per cent, according to Mintel, but shoppers have become more cautious as disposable incomes shrink, and fashion competes with holidays, festivals, and streaming services for wallet share.
Scrutiny builds
Despite its commercial success, Shein faces mounting scrutiny. The company filed initial paperwork last June for a potential London Stock Exchange listing, but critics question its labour practices and environmental impact.
"Regardless of whether Shein gets listed on the London Stock Exchange, no company doing business in the UK should be allowed to play fast and loose with human rights anywhere in their global supply chains,” said Peter Frankental, economic affairs programme director at Amnesty International UK to BBC.
The “de minimis” rule has drawn renewed attention after US President Donald Trump scrapped a similar measure during his trade war with China.
Shein’s UK operation now employs 91 people across offices in Kings Cross and Manchester, focusing primarily on local market expertise.
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