Elon Musk's 48-hour India visit: Meeting with PM Modi, Tesla's future, Starlink & more; what is on agenda

Reports suggest the trip will begin as soon as Sunday and last two days, coming after months of aggressive courtship between the billionaire and PM Modi. Musk, who has described himself as a PM Modi fan, also said India "has more promise than any large country in the world".  

Elon Musk, a tech entrepreneur, is scheduled to travel to India to explore new business opportunities in the most populated country in the world. Tesla, an electric vehicle manufacturer seeing a decline in sales in the US, is purportedly looking for potential plant locations.

Various media reports suggest that Musk will visit India for just 48 hours during which time he is expected to make a number of high-profile announcements, such as intentions to establish Starlink service and plans to invest $2–3 billion in the nation. Musk is expected to meet not only with Prime Minister Narendra Modi but also with leaders from the industry and other government agencies.

According to reports, Starlink, a company controlled by Elon Musk, is expected to get preliminary permits to operate in India. The numerous content takedown orders that India's government applies on X, the social media company he took over in 2022, are also probably on the self-described "free speech absolutist"'s agenda.

"Looking forward to meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in India!" Musk wrote on X last week without giving a date for the visit. The trip, which is expected to start on Sunday and extend for two days, follows months of intense wooing between the billionaire and Prime Minister Modi.

The two met last June in New York, after which Musk said PM Modi had pushed the entrepreneur to "make significant investments in India" -- something he said his companies intended to do.

A decline in American demand and heightened competition from China are now plaguing Tesla, which is reportedly considering cutting staff. Musk said that India "has more promise than any large country in the world" and identified as a supporter of Prime Minister Modi.

Although international corporations are looking for alternatives to China, India frequently fails to draw foreign direct investment, and Musk's adoration has not yet resulted in multibillion-dollar pledges. Without local production, India's hefty import duties on electric vehicles—of which Musk previously claimed to be among the "highest in the world"—have kept Tesla from becoming widely accepted.