By Aditya Kalra and Aditi Shah

NEW DELHI, April 10 (Reuters) - Tesla chief

Elon Musk will visit India this month to meet Prime Minister

Narendra Modi and is expected to make an announcement on plans

to invest and open a new factory in the country, two sources

with direct knowledge said.

The billionaire will meet Modi in the week of April 22 in

New Delhi, and will separately make an announcement about his

India plans, said the two sources, who declined to be named as

the trip details are confidential.

The Tesla CEO will be accompanied by other executives during

his visit, said the first source.

Reuters is first to report details of Musk's planned India

visit. Modi's office and Tesla did not respond to requests for

comment. Musk's final India trip agenda could still change.

Musk and Modi last met in New York in June, and Tesla for

months lobbied India to lower import taxes on electric vehicles

while it weighed up a factory there. India last month unveiled a

new EV policy lowering import taxes to 15% from 100% on some

models if a manufacturer invests at least $500 million and sets

up a factory too.

Reuters has previously reported that Tesla officials are

expected to visit India this month to look at sites for a

manufacturing plant that would require an investment of about $2

billion.

Tesla has also begun production of right-hand drive cars at

its German plant for export to India later this year, sources

have said.

Musk said this week on X that "India should have electric

cars like every other country has electric cars. It's a natural

progression to provide Tesla electric vehicles in India".

Tesla's push into India comes as slowing EV demand in its

main U.S. and Chinese markets coincides with intensifying

competition from Chinese automakers. Tesla reported a drop in

first-quarter deliveries that missed analyst estimates.

India's EV market is small but growing and dominated by

local carmaker Tata Motors. EVs made up just 2% of

total car sales in 2023. The government is targeting 30% by

2030.