Musk meeting India’s Modi as Tesla weighs expansion plans

by Julia Mueller - 06/20/23 5:54 PM ET

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks at the inauguration of the revamped Central Vista Avenue at the India Gate in New Delhi, India, Thursday, Sept. 8, 2022. Modi urged the country to shed its colonial ties in a ceremony to rename Rajpath, a boulevard that was once called Kingsway after King George V, Modi called it a “symbol of slavery” under the British Raj.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk is expected to meet with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, according to multiple reports.

CNBC reports the pair will meet in New York to talk about possible Tesla operations in India. Reuters reported Musk will brief Modi on his plans for a manufacturing base in the country.

Modi arrived in New York on Monday and is in the U.S. for his first official state visit at the invitation of President Biden. Biden and first lady Jill Biden will host the prime minister — including a state dinner — on June 22.

According to his office, the Indian prime minister will celebrate International Day of Yoga at the United Nations headquarters in New York before heading to Washington to meet with Biden.

A meeting with Musk wasn’t on the schedule released on Modi’s site, but the prime minister said he will, during his U.S. visit, “meet some of the leading CEOs to discuss opportunities for elevating our trade and investment relationship and for building resilient global supply chains.”

Bloomberg reports the Modi-Musk meeting is expected to be in the early evening Tuesday, and there could be 20 or more other high-profile people in attendance.

The Hill has reached out to Tesla to confirm.