Washington DC, June 22, 2023 – Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Tesla CEO and Twitter owner Elon Musk during his three-day state visit to the United States. The meeting took place as part of the Prime Minister’s busy itinerary, which includes a joint session address to the US Congress, meetings with business leaders, and a state dinner at the White House with US President Joe Biden.
After the meeting, Elon Musk expressed his admiration for Prime Minister Modi, stating, “I’m a fan of Modi.” He also mentioned their previous interaction, saying, “It was a fantastic meeting with the Prime Minister, and I like him quite a lot. He visited our factory a few years ago. So, we have known each other for a while.” This refers to the Prime Minister’s visit to the Tesla Motors factory in California back in 2015.
Musk expressed his excitement about India’s future prospects, stating, “I am incredibly excited about the future of India. I think India has more promise than any large country in the world.” When asked about Tesla’s plans to enter the Indian market, Musk revealed a tentative timeline, saying, “I am tentatively planning to visit India again next year. I am looking forward to it. I am confident Tesla will be in India and will do so as soon as humanly possible.”
Musk praised Prime Minister Modi’s commitment to India’s growth and investment, stating, “PM Modi really cares about India because he is pushing us to make significant investment in India, which is something that we tend to do. We just have to figure out the right timing. He really wants to do the right thing for India.”
Prime Minister Modi took to Twitter to express his appreciation for the meeting, stating, “Great meeting you today @elonmusk! We had multifaceted conversations on issues ranging from energy to spirituality.” Musk responded, saying, “It was an honor to meet again.”
Great meeting you today @elonmusk! We had multifaceted conversations on issues ranging from energy to spirituality. https://t.co/r0mzwNbTyN pic.twitter.com/IVwOy5SlMV
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 21, 2023
The Prime Minister commended Musk’s efforts in making technology accessible and affordable across various sectors. He extended an invitation to Musk to explore investment opportunities in India, particularly in the electric mobility and commercial space sectors. However, Musk clarified that no formal announcements regarding investments would be made in the near future, but he acknowledged the importance of the Indian market for the Tesla brand.
Tesla’s entry into the Indian market faced delays due to high import duties on electric vehicles. Last year, Tesla established its first office in Bengaluru and imported a few cars for homologation purposes. However, failed negotiations with the Indian government regarding import duties led to the brand withdrawing from the market.
During his US state visit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had the opportunity to meet several influential figures, including investor Ray Dalio, astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, mathematical statistician Nassim Nicholas Taleb, author Robert Thurman, and economist Paul Romer.
PM Modi and Ray Dalio discussed deepening investments in India and the government’s ongoing reforms. Dalio praised Prime Minister Modi, stating, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a man whose time has come when India’s time has come. The potential of India is enormous, and you now have a reformer who has the ability to transform.”
Met my friend, the distinguished author and investor @RayDalio. Urged him to deepen investments in India and also talked about the reform trajectory of our Government. pic.twitter.com/sgM9JSPtQn
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 21, 2023
In a meeting with Neil deGrasse Tyson, the focus was on space exploration and inspiring young minds towards science and innovation. Tyson expressed his admiration for PM Modi’s scientific thoughtfulness, stating, “Sky is not the limit for PM Modi. I was delighted to spend time with the leader, who is scientifically thoughtful.”
Talked space, science and related issues with @neiltyson. Highlighted steps India is taking to reform the space sector and draw more youngsters towards science as well as innovation. pic.twitter.com/aeOuXEjEau
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 21, 2023
PM Modi and Nobel laureate Professor Paul Romer explored the use of technology to improve lives and discussed making cities more sustainable and people-friendly. They emphasized leveraging innovation for positive change.
With Robert Thurman, PM Modi engaged in conversations about research and scholarship on Buddhism. They highlighted India’s Buddhist heritage and its potential to address global challenges.
In his meeting with Nassim Nicholas Taleb, PM Modi discussed India’s developmental progress and the fostering of an entrepreneurial spirit among the youth.
These engagements reflect the Prime Minister’s commitment to engaging with global thought leaders and experts from diverse fields to exchange ideas, seek collaborations, and drive India’s progress on various fronts.
Prime Minister Modi’s US state visit aims to strengthen bilateral ties and explore avenues for cooperation between India and the United States.
