Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who started his historic journey for the United States on Monday, met prominent US personalities from different walks of life, including Tesla CEO Elon Musk who hinted at the possibility of establishing his electric car vehicle factory in India. However, the billionaire clarified he has no rush to announce about making any announcement about his future projects in India.
"I am confident that Tesla will be in India and will do so as soon as humanly possible," he said."I would like to thank the prime minister for his support and hopefully we will be able to announce something in the not so distant future," Musk said.
"We do not want to jump the gun on an announcement but I think it is quite likely that it will be a significant investment in our relationship with India," the Tesla CEO said.
After the meeting, Musk asserted India has more promise than any other large country and that he is incredibly excited about its future.
EVs in India
Notably, for years, Elon Musk and India have engaged in discussions; however, disagreements regarding a local factory and the country's high import duties of up to 100 per cent have resulted in a stalemate.
The government has requested that electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers increase local sourcing and provide comprehensive manufacturing plans. In contrast, Musk has requested reduced taxes, enabling Tesla to commence sales of imported vehicles at a more affordable price in a market that prioritizes budget consciousness.
Additionally, Musk emphasized that Modi's genuine concern for India is evident as he urges them to make substantial investments in the country, a practice that aligns with their own inclination to do so.
I am a big fan of PM Modi: Musk
Further, he lauded India's progress under the current administration and said he "really cares about India because he is pursuing us to make a significant investment in India. "I am a fan of Modi," he said.
During his meeting with the Indian PM, he discussed about series of futuristic products including Starlink and his space program-- SpaceX. "India is great for solar energy investment, Musk added, describing his talks with the prime minister as excellent.
