 "Musk likely to Modi meet next week, talks may focus on Tesla, Starlink’s India entry and Isro ties")
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to meet Tesla CEO and billionaire Elon Musk during his visit to the United States next week, CNBC-TV18 reported.
Modi is set to travel to the US from 12th to 14th February to hold bilateral meetings with newly sworn-in President Donald Trump. During the visit, he will hold a meeting with a selected group of top executives on 13th February. Musk likely to be part of the meeting.
However, there has been no official announcement about the meeting.
Tesla’s entry in India, Isro collab…: Potential talks during Modi-Musk meeting
The meeting could cover discussions on Tesla’s entry into the Indian market, SpaceX’s collaborations with ISRO, and other topics.
Musk has expressed his interest in launching his high-tech and advanced Tesla cars in India.
Strengthening collaboration with the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) is also expected to be on his agenda, the report said. Musk’s SpaceX could also collaborate with the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) in various areas of space technology and exploration.
Musk is also planning to secure regulatory approval to begin operations of Starlink in India. Starlink is a satellite internet constellation developed by Musk’s SpaceX. It aims to provide high-speed, low-latency internet access globally, especially in remote and underserved areas.
Musk gets key role in Trump 2.0
Musk is leading the newly established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in the Trump administration. He is a key advisor for Donald Trump and holds a crucial influence in his presidency.
Tesla to make entry in India
Musk was about to visit India in April last year, but the trip was postponed. The reason anticipated that the backend negotiations to launch Tesla in India were not very successful, resulting in a delay in his trip.
Sources told CNBC-TV18 that while the discussions between Elon Musk and Indian officials were positive, no immediate commitment to manufacturing in India was made by the Indian government.
Last year, the Indian government introduced a scheme to attract global EV makers. However, Tesla has not made any major announcements for the Indian market and also dis not took participation in recent discussions.
Impact Shorts
View AllSince Musk holds a key position in Trump’s administration, he may use his influence to gain a strategic lead in negotiations with the Indian government to start his businesses in India.
Tesla’s Plan to launch affordable EV for Indian markets
Tesla plans to launch an affordable, low-cost EV by June this year. CNBC-TV18 reports that it could be a favourable entry point in the Indian market by 2025. The company is also looking for locations to set up showrooms in India.
However, Musk might delay committing to local manufacturing due to a recent slowdown in global EV sales and rising competition from Chinese EV makers.
In 2023, Tesla’s global sales dropped for the first time in over a decade, delivering 1.79 million cars, compared to 1.74 million sold by Chinese competitor BYD.
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