Sharad Agarwal, Tesla IndiaNew Delhi: Tesla has appointed Sharad Agarwal as its new country head in India, signalling a strategic shift in its approach to the world’s largest car market following a slow start to sales, according to a report by Bloomberg.
ETAuto on November 3 reported about Sharad Agarwal resigning from his position as Chief Business Officer at Classic Legends, less than a year after joining the company in November 2024.
Agarwal, who previously led Lamborghini India, starts this week and will be responsible for steering Tesla’s local operations, according to sources familiar with the matter. The move comes after the previous country head, Prashanth Menon, resigned in May. Until now, Tesla’s India operations were overseen remotely by its Southeast Asia director, Isabel Fan, and a small team reporting to executives in China and other regional hubs.
The company’s decision to hire Agarwal is part of a broader plan to develop a “homegrown strategy” in India, focusing on on-the-ground leadership rather than remote management.
Luxury Focus Amid High Tariffs
By appointing a leader with a background in high-end vehicles, Tesla appears to be doubling down on luxury buyers rather than mass-market volumes, at least for the immediate future. Agarwal’s task will be to translate early consumer interest into actual sales while navigating India’s high import tariffs and the slow adoption of electric vehicles.
Since launching its first stores in Mumbai and New Delhi in July and August, Tesla has received just over 800 orders, a modest figure by the company’s global standards. The Model Y, priced above ₹6 million due to tariffs, remains far beyond the typical price range of most EVs in India, where the segment accounts for just over 5% of total car sales, according to JATO Dynamics.
To raise awareness, Tesla has started marketing campaigns, including pop-ups in malls across the National Capital Region, such as in Gurgaon.
Agarwal’s previous stints
Before joining Tesla, Agarwal spent nearly a decade leading Lamborghini India, helping establish the brand as a leader in India’s super-luxury segment. He also expanded Lamborghini’s presence beyond metro cities to over 60 locations, with smaller markets contributing around 25% of sales. In November 2024, he became chief business officer of Classic Legends, a unit of Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd.
Tesla did not respond to requests for comment, and Agarwal could not be reached for his reaction
