India is considering tax cuts on the imports of completely-built units of electric vehicles, for a period of up to five years, as it tries to entice the likes of Tesla Inc. to sell and eventually make its cars in the country.

The government is working on an electric vehicle policy that would allow international car manufacturers to import battery-powered vehicles on concessional duty rates if they commit to eventually building them in India, people familiar with the matter said.

A final decision is yet to be taken on the policy’s contours, the people said, asking not to be identified as the discussions are private. Spokespeople from India’s heavy industries and commerce ministries did not immediately respond to emails seeking comment.

In 2021, the Austin-based EV manufacturer had sought duty cuts on import of electric vehicles. It was hoping to have the rates reduced to 40% from the current range of 70%-100% for its vehicles, depending on their import value.

Tesla’s Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk is likely to meet Trade Minister Piyush Goyal later this week to discuss the company’s plans to set up a factory in the South Asian nation. Mr Goyal is in San Francisco to attend the ministerial engagements of Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation.

Tesla is seeking to break into one of the world’s most promising auto markets where the demand for electric vehicles is rising among the country’s burgeoning middle class. For India, Tesla’s investment would aid the government’s push to increase the share of manufacturing in the nation’s GDP while also creating jobs.

India’s electric car market is currently at a nascent stage with EVs accounting for just 1.3% of the total passenger vehicles sold last year, according to BloombergNEF. The adoption of EVs in the country has been held back by the high cost of cars, a dearth of options and lack of charging stations.

Opening up the EV segment could speed up the adoption of cleaner transport in a country that currently has the world’s most toxic air. The government launched a $3.1 billion incentive program in 2021 to boost local EV production.

Separately, India is also considering reducing import taxes on some electric vehicles from the UK as part of negotiations with Britain over a free-trade deal.

Cracks are now more prominent in the Opposition’s INDIA alliance with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav questioning why the previous Congress-led governments did not conduct caste census when they were in power.

Mr Yadav’s comment highlights the differences between the two parties that are part of the mega Opposition front seeking to put up a united fight against the BJP in next year’s national elections.

The previous governments did not act on this due to their faulty policies, he told ANI in Satna in election-bound Madhya Pradesh and taunted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his “X-ray” remark over the caste census demand.

At a rally yesterday, Mr Gandhi reiterated his call for caste census and termed the exercise an “X-ray” that would give details of various communities in the country. Asked about this, Mr Yadav said the Congress’s demand for a caste census is a “miracle”.

#WATCH | Satna, Madhya Pradesh: On Rahul Gandhi’s statement, SP Chief Akhilesh Yadav says, “…Congress is the party which did not conduct caste census after independence… When all the parties in the Lok Sabha were demanding a caste census, they did not conduct a caste census.… pic.twitter.com/aYEaUU9SwT

— ANI (@ANI) November 13, 2023

“X-ray was the need of that time. Now we have MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) and CT (computed tomography) scan. The disease has now spread. If this problem was solved back then, such a gap wouldn’t have existed in the society today,” he said mocking Mr Gandhi.

“The biggest miracle is the Congress is also talking about caste census. Those who are talking about X-rays are the same people who stopped the caste census after Independence,” he quipped.

Mr Yadav slammed the Congress for not conducting caste census after India attained independence. “When Netaji (Mulayam Singh Yadav), Sharad Yadav, Lalu Prasad Yadav, and parties from South India raised the demand in Lok Sabha, the Congress refused to do it,” he said.

“Why do they want to conduct caste census today? Because they know that their traditional vote bank is not with them. But the backward classes, Dalit, and adivasis know that they had betrayed them after Independence,” he added.

Mr Yadav has been training his guns at the Congress lately and has also claimed that the grand old party does not want to ally with his outfit after their relations soured over seat-sharing for the November 17 Madhya Pradesh elections.

Last week, he said the Congress did not implement the Mandal Commission recommendations and had opposed the caste census. In another instance, he told a rally in Madhya Pradesh that neither Congress nor BJP have done anything for the poor and farmers when they were in power in the state.

However, despite the signs of strain, he told NDTV last month that his party was still a part of the INDIA bloc.

Bhai Dooj, also known as Bhai Tika, Bhaubeej, Bhai Phonta, or Bhratri Dwitiya, is a festival that celebrates the special bond between siblings. The day marks the culmination of the five-day-long Diwali festivities in many states. Every year, Bhai Dooj is celebrated two days after the festival of lights. This year Bhai Dooj will be celebrated on two days, November 14 and 15.  

Bhai Dooj 2023: Puja Vidhi

On this occasion, sisters apply tilak on the forehead of their brothers and pray for their long and happy lives, while carrying a colourful thali filled with sweets, roli, and coconut. While applying tilak, the brother’s face should be towards the north or northwest and the sister’s face should be towards the northeast or east. Then brothers and sisters treat each other with traditional Indian sweets and celebrate this special day with the exchange of gifts. Both brothers and sisters have to fast till the pooja is done.

If, for some reason, the brother cannot visit the sister, then the sister can send the tilak and dry coconut to her brother. Women without brothers worship Moon Chandra, as is customary in Maharashtra and Haryana on the auspicious occasion of Bhau-beej. 

Raksha Bandhan and Bhai Dooj are quite similar up to an extent, however, on Bhai Dooj, sisters do not tie a thread or Rakhi on the wrists of their brothers like they do on Raksha Bandhan.

Bhai Dooj 2023: Auspicious Time To Apply Tilak and Shubh Muhurat 

According to Drik Panchang, Bhai Dooj will start on November 14 and continue till November 15.  The auspicious Muhurat will start in the afternoon on Tuesday and end on Wednesday. 

Bhai Dooj aparahna time: 01:21 PM to 03:33 PMDuration: 02 Hours 12 MinsShubh muhurat on November 14: Dwitiya tithi begins at 02:36 PMShubh muhurat on November 15: Dwitiya tithi ends at 01:47 PM

As per Hindu mythology, it is believed that Goddess Yamuna fed her brother Yamraj on Kartik Dwitiya at her own home. Since then this day is also known as Yama Dwitiya.