- By Ajeet Kumar
- Sat, 19 Apr 2025 03:15 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk on Saturday said he is looking forward to visiting India later this year. The tech billionaire's remarks came a day after he and Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke and discussed the immense potential for collaboration in technology and innovation. "It was an honour to speak with PM Modi. I am looking forward to visiting India later this year!" Musk said in a post on X.
(Screenshot of Elon Musk's tweet)
Musk is considered one of the most influential persons in the Donald Trump administration and is spearheading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) aimed at cutting government expenditure and reducing the federal workforce. After their talk on Friday, Modi took to X and said, "Spoke to @elonmusk and talked about various issues, including the topics we covered during our meeting in Washington DC earlier this year. We discussed the immense potential for collaboration in the areas of technology and innovation." "India remains committed to advancing our partnerships with the US in these domains," he added.
Starlink's India entry
The development also comes against the backdrop of ongoing negotiations for a bilateral trade agreement between India and the US. Union Commerce and Industry Minister, Piyush Goyal, also held a meeting with top executives of Musk's Starlink in Delhi this week to discuss the company's investment plans for India. "Met a delegation from Starlink, comprising Vice President Chad Gibbs; and Senior Director, Ryan Goodnight. Discussions covered Starlink's cutting-edge technology platform, their existing partnerships; and future investment plans in India," Piyush Goyal said on X after the meeting."
Musk plans in India: Tesla entry
Starlink has long wanted to launch in India and has in recent months clashed with billionaire Mukesh Ambani's company over how the country should grant spectrum for satellite services. India's government has sided with Musk that spectrum should be assigned and not auctioned, but Starlink's licence application is still under review. Ambani had lobbied New Delhi that he wanted a level playing field and his executives have been worried that his telecom company, which spent $19 billion in airwave auctions, risks losing broadband customers to Starlink and potentially data and voice clients as technology advances.
However, later in March this year, Starlink collaborated with cellular giants-- Airtel and Jio-- after much negotiations.
It was not clear if Tesla's planned entry into India had come during PM Modi and Musk's meeting. However, news agency Reuters reported in February that increased sourcing of electric vehicle components from India was among the talking points. Musk has long criticised India's high import taxes on electric cars and his team has over the years held repeated discussions on setting up a local manufacturing base there, but no such plans have yet materialised. However, if he visits India this year, it is likely the government consider his plans.