According to media reports, Elon Musk's electric car maker Tesla has filed a lawsuit against an Indian battery maker for using the "Tesla Power" brand in promoting its products, and Tesla has asked a judge in New Delhi to order the Indian battery maker to pay compensation and permanently ban its infringement.
Last week, Tesla said at a hearing in the Delhi High Court that it continued to use the brand to advertise its products, even though the court had issued a notice to the Indian battery maker in April 2022 to stop using the "Tesla Power" brand.
At the hearing, the Indian company, known as Tesla Power India Pvt Ltd, argued that its main business is the production of "lead-acid batteries" and has no intention of producing electric vehicles. The court record shows that after the Indian company filed a set of documents in support of its defense, the judge allowed the company three weeks to file a written response.
Musk's Tesla Inc. is incorporated in the US state of Delaware, and Tesla has accused the Indian company of using the trademarks "Tesla Power" and "Tesla Power USA". The court records include screenshots of a website showing the company claiming that Tesla Power USA LLC is also headquartered in Delaware and is "recognized as a pioneer and leader in the rollout of affordable batteries" and "has a very strong presence in India."
Manoj Pahwa, a representative of Tesla Power in India, told the media that the company had entered the Indian market long before Musk's Tesla Inc. and had received approval from all government departments. "We have never claimed to be related to Elon Musk's Tesla company," he said. "
Tesla told the judge that it was forced to file a lawsuit after it discovered in 2022 that the Indian company was using its own brand name and tried unsuccessfully to stop its infringement.
The case comes after Musk canceled a planned visit to India on April 21 to meet with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. A few days later, Musk made a surprise visit to China and made progress in rolling out an advanced driver assistance software package. Many Indian commentators have said that Musk's cancellation of his trip to India in favor of China is a snub to the Indian market.
