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Tesla Inc. has appointed Sharad Agarwal, the former head of Lamborghini India, as its new country head, marking a fresh start for the EV maker’s India strategy. According to people familiar with the development, Agarwal begins his role this week and will lead Tesla’s local operations from the ground up.This appointment signals a major shift in Tesla’s India approach, from being managed remotely by executives in China and regional hubs to having a full-time, on-site leadership presence. Representatives for Tesla didn’t respond to requests for comment, while Agarwal couldn’t be reached.Who Is Sharad Agarwal?Sharad Agarwal is a well-known figure in India’s luxury automotive market. Before joining Tesla, he spent nearly a decade at Lamborghini India, where he helped the brand cement its position as the country’s top super-luxury carmaker under the Volkswagen AG umbrella.During his tenure, Agarwal was credited with expanding Lamborghini’s footprint beyond metros to over 60 cities, with smaller markets contributing about a quarter of total sales — a significant feat for a niche, high-end brand.In November 2024, Agarwal joined Mahindra & Mahindra’s Classic Legends as Chief Business Officer, according to his LinkedIn profile. Now, less than a year later, he takes the wheel at Tesla India, tasked with reviving the EV maker’s fortunes in a challenging but promising market.A New Phase for Tesla in IndiaTesla’s India entry has so far fallen short of expectations. The company received just over 800 orders as of October, up from around 600 in mid-July, Bloomberg News reported. That’s roughly the number of cars Tesla sells globally every four hours, underscoring the slow start in India.Tesla’s previous country head, Prashanth Menon, resigned in May. Until now, operations were overseen by Isabel Fan, Tesla’s Southeast Asia Director, who also launched the company’s first two stores in Mumbai and New Delhi earlier this year.Focusing on Luxury Buyers FirstBy hiring Agarwal, Tesla appears to be doubling down on India’s premium segment before pursuing mass-market sales. “The decision to bring on Agarwal was made as part of a move to develop a more homegrown strategy in India,” said people familiar with the matter.Tesla’s Model Y, priced at around ₹6 million ($67,575) due to steep import tariffs, is far above India’s EV sweet spot of ₹2–2.5 million, according to data from JATO Dynamics. Electric vehicles currently make up just over 5% of India’s total car sales.Read More - Festive Sales Boost Online Credit Card Spends To Record High - ReportTesla’s Brand-Building EffortsTo boost visibility, Tesla has set up pop-up experiences in major malls across the National Capital Region, including Gurugram, aiming to introduce its brand to affluent urban customers.(With Inputs From Bloomberg)
