PM Modi, Elon Musk Reconnect to Boost India–US Tech Collaboration

New Delhi, April 18:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that he had a productive talk with Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, with a view to enhancing cooperation between India and the United States in areas such as technology and innovation. The two leaders revisited some of the key subjects that they had already discussed during PM Modi’s trip to Washington, D.C. this year.

Spoke with Elon Musk and discussed several matters, including issues we discussed during our meeting in Washington DC this year,” the Prime Minister wrote in an X (previously Twitter) post. “We exchanged views on the huge potential for cooperation in terms of technology and innovation. India continues to be keen to enhance our cooperation with the US in these fields.

The recent exchange reflects the increasing significance of bilateral cooperation in emerging technology. Modi had met Musk in February during a two-day tour of the United States. The meeting was at Blair House, the U.S. President’s official guest house, where the Prime Minister was residing. Significantly, Musk was joined by three of his children during the visit.

Subsequent to that encounter, PM Modi had tweeted on X that the two had discussed a broad gamut of issues, ranging from space exploration to mobility and innovation—domains in which Musk’s firms, Tesla and SpaceX, are world leaders.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has confirmed that the two major players continued their engagement, declaring that their discussion encompassed increasing cooperation between Indian and American actors in innovation, space, artificial intelligence, and sustainable development.

Discussed during their meeting was also the scope of opportunities for intensifying cooperation in emerging technologies, entrepreneurship, and good governance,” the MEA stated in a release.

The renewed talks come on the heels of increasing speculation over Tesla’s foray into India’s electric vehicle market. News reports indicate Tesla could initiate EV sales in India as soon as April, with models expected to be priced between ₹21 lakh. Meanwhile, Elon Musk’s satellite internet project, Starlink, is also looking at India’s broadband market—showing interest among Indian telecom behemoths Airtel and Jio.

Before the Washington meeting, PM Modi and Musk had previously met twice, once in California in 2015 and once in New York in 2023, emphasizing a consistent build-up of rapport over the years.

Interestingly, Musk is also thought to have considerable influence in U.S. policymaking circles. He is currently the head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a Trump-era initiative to streamline federal operations and reduce government spending.

As India expands its digital ecosystem and space endeavors, the Modi–Musk bond may become an important factor to drive bilateral joint ventures and incubate innovation clusters on either side of the globe.