Tesla India head quits ahead of launch: report

Prashanth Menon, who led Tesla Inc.’s operations in India, has stepped down from his role, Bloomberg reported on Thursday.

The development comes as the US-based electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer prepares to establish its first retail presence in the country.

Menon was with the company for nearly nine years and headed its India operations for over four years, according to the report. He resigned citing personal reasons, people familiar with the matter told Bloomberg.

During his tenure, Menon played an important role in laying the foundation for Tesla’s entry into the Indian market. He oversaw the setup of the company’s local office in Pune in 2021 and led efforts to secure retail locations in Mumbai and Delhi.

No successor has been named, and Tesla’s operations in India will be temporarily managed by teams based in China, the Bloomberg report added.

This comes as Tesla inches closer to entering the EV market in the country, the world’s third largest.

Tesla has also reportedly leased a 30-seat office at Phoenix Market City in Kurla, Mumbai, near the Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC), a popular business hub. The lease agreement with co-working firm EFC was signed last month and carries a monthly rent of Rs3 lakh, with a one-year term and a three-month lock-in period.

The Mumbai office is expected to support early operational activities such as hiring, vendor engagement, regulatory compliance, and backend support. It complements Tesla’s existing offices in Pune and Bengaluru.

The Pune facility, located in Viman Nagar, spans approximately 5,850 square feet and also operates from a co-working space.

Tesla has also finalized a retail space for its first showroom in BKC, which reportedly set a record for commercial leases in India at Rs881 per square foot per month.