Sat Feb 15 06:45:35 UTC 2025: ## Modi and Musk Meet, Discuss Tech Collaboration and Tesla’s India Entry

**NEW DELHI** – Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Tesla CEO Elon Musk met recently, sparking renewed speculation about Tesla’s long-awaited entry into the Indian market. The meeting, detailed by Mr. Modi on X (formerly Twitter), follows a previous encounter in New York earlier this year where Mr. Musk expressed optimism about Tesla’s imminent arrival in India.

The discussions, attended by Mr. Musk’s children and Mr. Modi’s top advisors including External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, reportedly focused on strengthening India-US collaboration in innovation, space exploration, AI, and sustainable development. Entrepreneurship and good governance were also on the agenda.

While Mr. Musk is reportedly keen to launch his Starlink satellite internet service in India, regulatory hurdles, security concerns, and competition from established players like Reliance Jio have presented challenges. India’s telecoms minister previously stated that Starlink hadn’t yet met security requirements for a license. Although India revised its spectrum allocation policy to address Mr. Musk’s concerns, the high cost of Starlink’s service compared to India’s already inexpensive mobile data could prove a significant obstacle.

Tesla’s entry into India, the world’s largest automotive market, has also faced delays due to high import duties. However, India’s burgeoning electric vehicle market, projected to reach 30% of total car sales by 2030, and recent policy changes offering concessional tariffs for foreign manufacturers who establish local production, are now seen as potential incentives. Tesla is currently exploring sites in India for a possible manufacturing facility.

Former US President Donald Trump weighed in on the meeting, suggesting Mr. Musk’s interest was purely business-related. Despite the challenges, the Modi-Musk meeting signals a renewed push towards closer technological collaboration between India and the US, potentially paving the way for significant investments and market entry for both Tesla and Starlink.

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