Modi speaks with Musk on tech, innovation, US-India ties
What's the story
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has just spoken to Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. The conversation revisited the subjects of their previous meeting in Washington DC, earlier this year. During the call, they stressed on strengthening US-India partnerships in technology and innovation. "We discussed the immense potential for collaboration in the areas of technology and innovation," PM Modi said on social media platform X after the call.
Market entry
Musk's companies eye Indian market expansion
Musk's companies, especially Tesla and Starlink, have expressed interest in entering the Indian market. Tesla is already in talks with Indian officials to set up a manufacturing base in India. In March, Reliance Jio announced a partnership with Musk's SpaceX to bring Starlink satellite internet services to India. Bharti Airtel has also signed a similar deal with SpaceX, highlighting the growing collaboration between US tech giants and Indian telcos.
Twitter Post
Take a look at PM Modi's post
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…
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 18, 2025
Past discussions
Modi and Musk's previous meeting
PM Modi and Musk met face-to-face in February during the Prime Minister's two-day state visit to the US. They had then expressed optimism about future cooperation in sectors like electric vehicles (EVs), renewable energy, and space. During that visit, Modi had gifted books to Musk's three children, including The Crescent Moon by Rabindranath Tagore, The Great RK Narayan Collection, and Panchatantra by Pandit Vishnu Sharma.
Regulatory hurdles
Starlink's future in India remains uncertain
The latest Modi-Musk call comes at a crucial juncture as Starlink awaits security clearance. The call also comes amid ongoing negotiations for a possible bilateral trade agreement between New Delhi and Washington. The Indian government has issued licenses to Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio Satellite Communications, with Eutelsat OneWeb being Bharti Group-backed, to offer satellite internet services. However, they are yet to start operations due to pending spectrum allocation rules by the government.