Elon Musk Advocates Stronger India-US Trade Ties During Business Leaders’ Meet

Musk highlights collaboration potential in technology and space sectors as Indian business delegation visits SpaceX Starbase.

January 18, 2025: London: Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk hosted a delegation of prominent Indian business leaders at SpaceX’s Starbase facility in Texas on Friday, expressing optimism about the strengthening ties between India and the United States. Musk emphasized the potential for deeper collaboration, especially in the areas of technology and space exploration, during the discussion.

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“Things are trending positive,” Musk remarked. “I’m certainly in favour of lowering trade barriers to increase commerce between the US and India.” He described India as “one of the ancient civilizations and a very great and very complex one,” underlining the nation’s role in the global innovation landscape.

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The visit was led by the India Global Forum (IGF), a UK-based policy and events platform that marked its expansion into the US this week. The delegation toured SpaceX’s advanced facilities and witnessed the successful launch of Starship Flight 7.

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Musk interacted with leaders from diverse sectors, including Flipkart CEO Kalyan Raman, OYO Founder Ritesh Agarwal, and Kotak811 Co-Head Jay Kotak. The meeting highlighted the importance of India as a global technology partner.

The discussion came just ahead of Donald Trump’s second-term inauguration as US President, where Musk is proposed to serve as co-chair of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

Manoj Ladwa, IGF Founder, highlighted the significance of the event: “This meeting underscores the growing importance of collaboration between India and global pioneers in shaping a sustainable and technology-driven future.”

The IGF delegation’s US visit also included closed-door discussions with members of the incoming Trump administration, focusing on opportunities in digital infrastructure, tech innovation, and foreign investment, while exploring ways to strengthen bilateral relations.

Tags:
India-US relations, Elon Musk, SpaceX Starbase, Indian business delegation, technology collaboration, bilateral trade, IGF, Donald Trump administration, global innovation, space exploration partnerships