Experts Criticize China’s EV Sector Claims Ahead of Elon Musk’s Visit, Saying “Biased Comments Show Fear Over India’s Rising.”

Experts have denounced as “baseless” Chinese assertions that India’s electric car industry is confronting a number of difficulties. This coincides with the announcement of Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s visit to the nation, which sparked rumors that the US automaker will dispatch a team to look for potential sites for a $2 billion to $3 billion automobile facility.

This week, Musk and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are scheduled to meet. However, after these declarations and reports, a Chinese media source posted a video on social media with Charles Liu, a senior fellow at the Taihe Institute in Beijing, questioning this decision and outlining a number of issues pertaining to India’s electric vehicle industry.

These allegations, which are emphasized in the social media post, include the following: “Lack of skilled engineers and workers, negative business environment, and supply chain and infrastructure.”

Describe the facts and claims.
Liu said in the video: “Tesla, the pioneer in electric car technology, has declared that it is sending a team to India to choose the location for a factory to be constructed there—likely a couple of billion-dollar projects. This is intriguing in a lot of ways right now. First off, for the obvious reason that India lacks a supply chain, I am not particularly bullish about the efficient and successful manufacture of electric cars in that country. India’s infrastructure is appalling.

To learn the truth behind these allegations, News18 contacted a few EV firms. Without giving the arguments much thought, a few industry experts referred to them as “baseless.”

While expressing disagreement, one industry insider—chief development officer and global head of engineering at L&T Semiconductor Technologies, Sanjay Gupta—said the person is only pointing out the kind of disadvantage China is facing against India, and Apple’s success in that country is evidence of that.

“India’s infrastructure is advancing quickly; roads and airports are outperforming earlier construction projects. We now dominate the world in satellite launches and export electronics. Prejudiced remarks dread India’s growth and dismiss its possibilities. China has opaque, autocratic policies; India does not. Thus, their opinions are false,” he said.

But later in the video, the individual asserts that India’s economic climate is unfavorable for American and European businesses, in addition to Chinese ones.

“You’ll notice if you see how they handled international businesses in India. dozens of accusations, several fraudulent cases involving foreign corporations, and hundreds of billions, if not billions, in penalties, according to Liu.

He went on to discuss China’s superior supply chain and infrastructure. Moreover, he said that China, which has spent decades investing in highly qualified laborers and engineers, has more human capital than India for modern manufacturing.

Regretfully, I don’t believe that is offered in India. Once again, that takes decades to develop,” the Chinese expert said.

In response to these assertions, Gupta questioned why so many international businesses from various industries had shown interest in making investments in India if the nation had a favorable business climate. Why would Apple manufacture its newest phones in India at such a risk?

He stated: “India’s judicial system ensures fair treatment, addressing conflicts impartially,” in reference to penalties and lawsuits. Tax evasion and other forms of misconduct are not accepted, demonstrating India’s dedication to an open economic climate.

“We may not be the top nation in skilling at the moment, but the country is at the right pace in grooming a skilled workforce to position itself as a global talent hub,” Gupta said, highlighting India’s extensive skilling programs with an emphasis on all cutting-edge technology.

“I believe he is unaware that, for the next forty years, India’s youthful population will continue to be the youngest. While China’s own population is aging at a rate that will eventually necessitate the need for qualified workers from India,” he said.

The co-founder of Zerodha Nikhil Kamath, published a social media post showcasing India’s electric vehicle scene. “The increase in EV sales highlights a shift towards more sustainable economic growth and technological innovation,” the author noted while giving his study. The sales statistics, while seemingly small given the present price points of EVs and the variety of alternatives available, are really rather outstanding.

While India’s EV sales only made up 1.7% of all vehicle sales in 2023, according to the statistics he supplied in his article, Kamath’s graph included a text box emphasizing that Indian EV car sales increased by 170 percent in 2022 and 120 percent in 2023. A promising sign for the future of electric cars in India is the image’s mention of the Indian government’s 2030 aim of 30% EV adoption.

An additional infographic illustration displayed the 2022 EV sales figures. Findings indicated that India ranked fourth in the world for electric two-wheeler sales, with 4%, behind only China (47%) and Vietnam (10%) and Europe (8%). On the other hand, India has surpassed China in the percentage of electric three-wheelers, with 55%, a considerable advantage.