Tesla Cybertruck Hits Indian Streets Thanks to This Surat Mogul

Last week, India welcomed its first Tesla Cybertruck. Social media platform X (formerly Twitter) was abuzz with images of the striking vehicle being transported. Further investigation revealed that the Cybertruck belongs to Lavji Daliya, a Surat-based businessman and philanthropist.

Fondly known as Badshah for his charitable work, Daliya is said to have booked the vehicle in Texas, USA, and had it registered in Dubai. The Cybertruck, known for its futuristic design, was then privately transported to Surat.

According to reports, the vehicle itself costs around ₹60 lakh, but with registration and transportation expenses, Lavji Badshah is believed to have spent a whopping ₹1 crore.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Daliya’s son Piyush said, “This Cybertruck is the only one in India, based on what we found online. No other such vehicle has been imported into the country.”

A real estate mogul, Lavji Badshah is also a diamond merchant and power loom owner based in Surat.

He owns the Gopin Group, which includes: Gopin Developers (real estate), Gopin Foundation (a non-profit agency), and Gopin Ventures (an investment firm).

This development comes at a time of growing anticipation around Tesla’s entry into the Indian market. Just last month, Tesla CEO and the world’s richest man, Elon Musk, announced plans to visit India by the end of the year.

The announcement followed a telephonic conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during which the two discussed technology, innovation, and follow-ups to their meeting in Washington, D.C., earlier this year.