Elementary, my dear Watson !

 

 

Every time “ Super Detective “ Sherlock Holmes unraveled a seeming mystery surrounding a crime , he would tell his colleague, Dr Watson :

“ My dear Watson, it was rather elementary logic “

Context :

With 2 big ports, Gujarat sets off race for Tesla plant   /  Business Line  /  17 Jan 2021

Extract :

Jostling has started to host the assembling or production plant of Tesla Inc, after the Elon Musk-led electric car-maker opened a research and development unit in Bengaluru ahead of hitting the road in India

With India’s biggest ports – Kandla and Mundra – in Gujarat, the State is pitching for the Tesla unit

The first indication that Gujarat will pursue Tesla AGGRESSIVELY came from S K Mehta, Chairman of Centre-owned Deendayal Port Trust ( formerly, Kandla Port Trust / chairman@deendayalport.gov.in )

“ The Smart Industrial Port City that Deendayal Port Trust is developing on more than 800 acres could be ideal for Tesla “, Mehta told Business Line

According to industry sources, Gujarat is on Tesla’s RADAR, as the State has established itself as a manufacturing powerhouse for auto and auto components, which Tesla can leverage

With a plant near a port, the electric vehicle company will save on logistics costs

This will also fit in well with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of PORT-LED DEVELOPMENT MODEL

Mansukh Mandaviya, Shipping Minister, whose ministry controls Deendayal Port, is an added factor in hard selling the port [ Mansukh.mandaviya@sansad.nic.in ]

“ Tesla will have huge import and assembling requirements. So, locating the plant next to a port, than in the hinterland, will save a lot of logistics costs “, said S Sittarasu, Business Development Team Leader, at Deendayal Port

Centre-owned Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust ( JNPT ) , which had pursued Tesla to lease land in its Free Trade Warehousing Zone, has slipped behind other contenders such as Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Haryana for the project

===================================================

In early Oct last year, when Elon Musk twitted re his intention to come to India, I sent following blog / email to Shri Vijaybhai Rupani [ CM – Gujarat ] :

 

ARA & M Ltd ? ……………………………..[ 02 Oct 2020 ]

 

Where I wrote :

“ Now current Gujarat CM , Shri Vijaybhai Rupani, too is a BANIA – but with a difference !

He does not like ambiguity / uncertainty / leaving things to imagination !

So most likely, his WhatsApp Message ( or posting on Elon Musk’s Twitter page ), is likely to be :

“ Elon , welcome to Gujarat for setting up your Tera-Factory

Attached find :

Ø  Relevant GR ( Government Resolution ) of Gujarat Government, allotting to TESLA , a 10,000 acre plot of land ( absolutely FREE of COST ), next to MUNDRA port

Ø  A Google Map of the land showing attached ADANI Jetty ( for exporting TESLA EVs, all over the World )

Ø  Draft of a Joint Sector MOU ( between Gujarat Govt / Ambani / Adani and TESLA )

Please indicate date / time when we can discuss using ZOOM ,

Ø  MOU draft

Ø  Other incentives that my government may extend to your EV project

Ø  Appointment of OSD ( Officer on Special Duty ) who will obtain all permissions in advance and work for successful and quick implementation of your project. He will be a Secretary level officer with no other duty  “

                                    For other interesting suggestions, read the entire blog  ]

===================================================

So that all the States competing for Tesla plant can work-out their pitch, 5 days later I sent following e mail to the concerned State officers :

Fastest Finger First ? …………………………..[ 07 Oct 2020 ]

 

In this mail, I listed specific methods / incentives by which, these competing States can motivate Tesla by :

[ A ]…. Lower Cost of Steel

     [ B ]…. Lower cost of Electric Power

    [ C  ]  …. Lower the cost of Finance

[ D ] …. Lower the cost of Supply Chain of components

[ E ]  …. Lower the cost of Sea-Freight ( for Imports-Exports )

[ F ] ….. Lower On-road Sale Price through various incentives

One more thing that the State Chief Ministers may want to pitch to Tesla :

“ Elon, OK – so you want to go to some other state for setting up your EV plant. Fine

But if we have read your intentions correctly ( which is so obvious  from the Company Name you have registered in India ), you are in the ENERGY BUSINESS – of which, electric cars are the MORE VISIBLE components

You are also into :

Ø  Domestic Energy Storage Devices ( PowerWall – mounted on kitchen walls ) – which could store electricity generated from solar rooftop panels and supply power to Electric Cookers ( thereby, reducing / eliminating imports of LPG / NPG for cooking )

Ø  Rooftop Solar Panels

Ø  Grid Level Power Storage Batteries ( MW size )

And in long term,

Ø  Millions of EV storing Solar Energy ( in their batteries ) and feeding the GRID ( or a home ) when EV is not driving

We would be happy to have you pursue these projects in our State “

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MORAL OF THE STORY :

When it comes to competing to attract foreign investments, there is no such thing as LEVEL PLAYING FIELD !

If in doubt, carry out an exercise by substituting the Country-Names with the names of Indian States, in the following :

[  source :  Level Playing Field ? ……………………………….11 June 2016 ]

Extract :

Now, Industrialists / Businessmen, all over the World, will continue to compare the INDUSTRIAL INPUTS existing in their own country with the following BENCHMARKS :


#   Most Business Friendly ................................... Ireland

#   Lowest Corporate Tax...................................... Kuwait ( 0 % )

#   Lowest Hourly Wages ( PPP basis ).................... Bangladesh ( $ 0.25/hr )

#   Highest Working Hours.................................... Mexico ( 42.5 / week )

#   Least Govt mandated paid holidays................... USA     ( Nil )

#   Highest Manpower Productivity......................... Switzerland

#   Lowest Bank Interest Rates.............................  Denmark ( 0.05 % )

#   Demographic Advantage of a Young Population....India 

#   Ease of Introducing unpopular reforms..............  China ( Dictatorship )

  


There is , quite likely, some parameter on which a Country can claim to have distinct advantage over all the other countries

It could have something to do with its Geographical situation / Historical evolution / Political System / Legal Frame-work / Societal Norms etc

It is not possible to replicate advantages of all of these Benchmark Countries , into any one single country

 

===================================================

E Mailed To :

Shri Vijaybhai Rupaniji…………………………vijaybhairupani@gmail.com/min.vrrupani@gmail.com/ osd2cm@gmail.com

Shri Mansukh Mandviyaji………………………Mansukh.mandaviya@sansad.nic.in

Shri S. K. Mehta ( Chairman-DPT )…  chairman@deendayalport.gov.in

Shri Gaurav Gupta…………………………info@ksiidc.com 

 

===================================================

As to my past persuasion ( of Elon and Govt of India ), refer to my following e-mails :

All Charged Up ?...................................................[ 15 Aug 2016 ]

Welcome ! Elon Musk ………………………………………………[ 10 Feb 2017 ]

Piyush Goyal is a Visionary ! ………………………………..[ 19 Mar 2017 ]

INDIA : the NEW LAND OF THE RISING SUN ?....[ 01 Apr 2017 ]

From ELON to ION ……………………………………………………[ 11 May 2017 ]

Will Tesla follow Apple ? ……………………………………………[ 23 May 2017 ]

ENABLE ELON TO CATALYSE ! ……………………………………[ 15 June 2017 ]

Is it NOW or NEVER ? …………………………………………………[ 23 June 2017 ]

Elon : Hesitation Can Hurt ! ……………………………………….[ 03 July 2017 ]

Elon : Widow Opens ( Door is not closed, either )…[ 07 July 2017 ]

An Electric Future ? ………………………………………………………[ 17 Aug 2017 ]

Smart Cars , Safe Cars , Social Cars ? ………………………[ 31 Aug 2017 ]

Gadkariji is Angry …………………………………………………………[ 12 Sept 2017 ]

A Rapidly Shifting Paradigm ………………………………………[ 03 Dec 2017 ]

Auto Industry : Policy Inputs ………………………………………[ 27 Dec 2017 ]

National Energy Storage Mission ………………………………[ 19 Feb 2018 ]

#ElectricVehicle #ElonMusk …………………………………………[ 23 april 2018 ]

Crossing the Seven Seas [ 7 C ]……………………………………[ 10 Sept 2018 ]

Mobility on the Move – Finally ………………………………………[ 09 Mar 2019 ]

A School Grade Math ? ……………………………………………………[ 04 June 2020 ]

EV : Battery Charging Stations : Solar power Storage .[ 13 Sept 2020 ]

Trying to beat Lithium-Ion Battery ? …………………………….[ 19 Sept 2020 ]

To beat OR not to beat ? ………………………………………………………[ 29 Dec 2020 ]

At long last, TESLA is here ! …………………………………………………[ 13 Jan 2021 ]

 

 ==================================================

Related Readings :

Why PM Narendra Modi visited Tesla Motors headquarters  /  06 Oct 2015

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wit regards,

Hemen Parekh /  hcp@RecruitGuru.com  / 18 Jan 2021