Tesla loses its charm for India’s loyalists — even as Musk finally delivers

Tesla recently opened its first showroom in India, marking a long-awaited debut in the country. However, many early Indian Tesla supporters, including Vishal Gondal—a prominent entrepreneur who pre-booked a Model 3 in 2016—expressed disappointment rather than excitement. Despite being among the first visitors to the Mumbai showroom, Gondal decided against purchasing a Tesla, citing underwhelming experiences and frustrations with Tesla’s delayed entry and refund process. He and others had to wait years to receive refunds for their initial reservation fees, with some only getting reimbursed shortly before the official launch. The launch itself was perceived as lackluster compared to other major tech brand entries, such as Apple’s, with minimal buzz and no special outreach to early backers. Loyalists like Amit Bhavani and Varun Krishnan voiced their dissatisfaction, highlighting Tesla’s poor communication and slow progress relative to other companies like Starlink. While some early supporters remain proud of their initial faith in Tesla, most are hesitant