Elon Musk and Modi explore India’s space and technology future

WASHINGTON: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Tesla CEO Elon Musk in Washington on Thursday, where they discussed space, technology, and mobility, including Starlink’s planned entry into India and broader cooperation in emerging innovations and governance.

"Their discussion also touched on opportunities to deepen cooperation in emerging technologies, entrepreneurship, and good governance," India's foreign ministry said separately in a statement.

On Wednesday, Reuters reported that Modi was scheduled to meet Musk, CEO and founder of SpaceX, during his trip this week to the United States, with Starlink's entry into the South Asian market expected to be a key topic.

SpaceX's Starlink has long sought to launch in India and has in recent months clashed with billionaire Mukesh Ambani's company over how the country should allocate spectrum for satellite services. India's government has sided with Musk, agreeing that spectrum should be assigned rather than auctioned, though Starlink's licence application remains under review.

India’s impending decision on the US-based Starlink has unsettled the country's domestic satellite internet sector and made its regulatory stance on space-based communications a focal point in its efforts to stimulate commercial space activities and enhance its global competitiveness in the space industry.

Musk, a "special government employee" leading a disruptive drive to cut excessive federal spending, is also CEO and founder of SpaceX, which has dominated the global space industry with its extensive Starlink network and Falcon 9 launches, relied upon by much of the Western world for space access.

Major decisions on technology and space matters have followed Modi’s state visits in the past. In 2023, India signed the US Artemis Accords—a framework for modern space and lunar activities—after meetings in Washington between Modi and former US president Joe Biden.

Modi is also expected to meet US President Donald Trump during his two-day US visit, with trade and tariff concessions anticipated to be high on the agenda. However, he is unlikely to meet other business CEOs during the trip, sources told Reuters on Wednesday.