Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk on Friday, building on their earlier in-person meeting in Washington DC. The conversation focused on deepening India-US cooperation in technology and innovation.
“Spoke to Elon Musk and talked about various issues, including topics we covered during our meeting in Washington DC earlier this year,” PM Modi posted on X.
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
“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.
This comes amid increasing interest from Musk’s companies—especially Tesla and Starlink—in the Indian market. Tesla is currently in discussions with Indian authorities about establishing a manufacturing hub, while Starlink is awaiting government clearance to offer satellite internet services.
Earlier in March, Reliance Jio signed a partnership deal with SpaceX to bring Starlink to India. Similarly, Bharti Airtel, led by telecom magnate Sunil Bharti Mittal, has entered into an agreement with SpaceX. These deals, however, remain on hold due to pending regulatory approvals.
PM Modi and Elon Musk last met during the Prime Minister’s state visit to the US in February. The two leaders shared a mutual interest in electric vehicles, space exploration, and renewable energy. During that visit, PM Modi gifted Musk’s three children Indian literary classics, including The Crescent Moon by Rabindranath Tagore, The Great RK Narayan Collection, and Panchatantra by Pandit Vishnu Sharma.
The recent call comes as Starlink awaits crucial security clearance, and as India and the US continue negotiations on a bilateral trade agreement, expected to see its first phase concluded by September or October. Meanwhile, rival services backed by Bharti Group’s Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio Satellite Communications have licenses but are awaiting final spectrum allocation rules to begin operations.
Starlink remains a significant player in the satellite internet space, operating over 6,750 satellites—far outpacing its Indian market competitors.
