India is "unlikely" to host a Formula E race in the near future, FE CEO Alejandro Agag warned, citing the "aggressive" nature of tax authorities toward sporting events in the country, according to Rachit Thukral of MOTORSPORT. Formula E has been pursuing "an expansion into the lucrative Indian market for the last few years," with Mahindra, one of the founding teams in the series, "also pushing to bring the all-electric championship to the sub-continent." The Mumbai-based manufacturer held a showrun at the Buddh Int'l Circuit in '16, after which it received a letter of intent from the Delhi government "pledging its support for a race in the Indian capital." However, "no promoter has turned up to bear up the cost of the event since then," and now Agag said that prospective tax issues are the "single biggest hurdle in hosting a race in India." Agag also pointed out how similar problems, among other reasons, "played an instrumental role in pushing out Formula 1 from the country" three years into its five-year deal. Agag said, "It is very risky to race in India because of the tax authorities. They [tax authorities] are very aggressive at the moment. They want to tax everything. So you don't know where you stand. I think that is the reason Formula 1 did not continue in India" (MOTORSPORT, 11/6).
