Tesla Inc is exploring an arrangement with Indian conglomerate Tata Sons' power generation unit, Tata Power, to set up charging infrastructure for electric vehicles in the country, CNBC-TV18 reported on Friday, citing sources.
Shares of Tata Power rose 5.5% to their best closing level since June 2014 after the report, which comes as the Palo Alto-based electric-car maker gears up for an India launch later this year with plans to import and sell its Model 3 electric sedan.
Tesla will set up an electric-car manufacturing unit in the southern Indian state of Karnataka, according to a government document seen by Reuters.
The talks between Tata Power and Tesla are in the initial stages and no arrangements have been finalised yet, the report said.
Tata Power's electric vehicle charging business constantly explores growth opportunities but has not finalised any new agreements, the company said in a statement to stock exchanges. It also said the CNBC-TV 18 report was "factually incorrect", but did not elaborate.
Tesla was not immediately available for comment.
In January, the U.S. electric-car maker incorporated Tesla Motors India and Energy Private Ltd with its registered office in the southern city of Bengaluru, a hub for global technology companies.
Tata Motors Ltd, the carmaking unit of Tata Sons, last week denied https://bit.ly/3kKLz1M any tie-up with Tesla, after media reports suggested the two companies were discussing a partnership.
(Reporting by Nallur Sethuraman in Bengaluru; Editing by Krishna Chandra Eluri and Vinay Dwivedi)
