On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke over the phone with Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, reinforcing their shared interest in enhancing cooperation between India and the United States in technology and innovation. The discussion arises as Tesla is allegedly investigating chances to penetrate the Indian electric vehicle market.
The pair covered various subjects, expanding on their previous meeting in Washington DC this year. The discussion emphasized the increasing collaboration between India’s fast-developing tech landscape and Musk’s initiatives in advanced innovation.
Sharing details of the interaction on X, PM Modi wrote, “Spoke to Elon Musk 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.”
PM Modi met with Elon Musk in February this year while on his two-day trip to the US. The CEO of SpaceX was joined by his three kids – X, Strider, and Azure. During the conference, Elon Musk presented PM Modi with a hexagonal heatshield tile from Starship.
The Prime Minister’s phone call with Elon Musk occurs alongside reports that Tesla is set to enter the Indian market by sending several thousand cars to a port close to Mumbai in the upcoming months. As per a Bloomberg report referencing sources with knowledge of the situation, the US electric vehicle leader intends to start sales in Mumbai, Delhi, and Bangalore by the third quarter of this year.
Tesla’s expected entry into India coincides with current talks between New Delhi and Washington regarding import tariffs, which will likely influence the automaker’s long-term approach in the nation. The action comes after a resurgence in Tesla’s plans for India, ignited by PM Modi’s recent face-to-face meeting with Musk in Washington. Since that time, the company has allegedly started recruiting for positions linked to showrooms and deliveries.
