Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a telephone conversation with tech billionaire Elon Musk, reaffirming India’s interest in strengthening technology and innovation partnerships with the United States.
The call, which Modi described on social media platform X, revisited discussions from their February meeting in Washington, DC. “We discussed the immense potential for collaboration in the areas of technology and innovation,” Modi said, emphasizing India’s commitment to deepening its ties with the US.
The timing of the call is notable as India works toward a bilateral trade agreement with the US to mitigate the impact of recently announced 27% tariffs by former US President Donald Trump, which are currently on a 90-day pause.
Elon Musk, known for his proximity to Trump and his leadership of Tesla, SpaceX, and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), is eyeing a greater presence in India. In March, Starlink signed agreements with two major Indian telecoms to offer satellite internet services and is awaiting government approval. Tesla has also begun recruiting in Delhi and Mumbai, signaling its entry into the Indian market.
The conversation also comes ahead of US Vice-President JD Vance’s scheduled four-day visit to India starting April 21. Vance, accompanied by his wife Usha and their children, will meet Modi on the first day of his visit for high-level talks on trade, economics, and regional security.
As US-China trade tensions escalate, India and the US are racing to finalize a trade deal that could reshape the geopolitical and economic landscape of the Indo-Pacific region.
