Elon Musk is visiting India on April 21 and 22. The Tesla CEO is expected to meet space start-ups during his visit. Skyroot Aerospace, Agnikul Cosmos, Bellatrix Aerospace, and Dhruva Space are the start-ups that received requests from the government to meet Musk on his visit to Delhi on April 22, as per a Bloomberg report.
India has been investing significantly in the space sector. Currently, the country accounts for about 2 per cent of the space economy. The country aims to expand its share fivefold, with some expecting it to reach $47.3 billion by 2032, as per the World Economic Forum.
The country recently also tasted success when India became the first country to launch its spacecraft on the moon’s south pole. This made the country join the USA, China, and the Soviet Union in achieving a moon landing. After the launch, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “India is now on the moon. India has reached the south pole of the moon; no other country has achieved that. We are witnessing history.”
This meeting could help SpaceX’s Starlink, an aerospace company founded by Musk and Tesla Inc., penetrate the Indian market. Simultaneously, as per a MoneyControl report, Musk is supposed to announce Tesla’s entry into the Indian market.
An official who spoke to MoneyControl on the basis of anonymity said, “Expect a general announcement that the US-based EV (electric vehicle) maker is coming into India, not a site-specific one. To announce a specific site, Tesla typically needs board approval, which may happen only later. For now, Musk may welcome the EV policy and say that he looks forward to being in the Indian market soon.”
On Tesla’s possible entry to India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in an interview with ANI, “I want investment to come to India because in India, it doesn't matter who has invested money; the sweat put into the work must be of our own people. The product should have the essence of our soil, so that our youth in the country will get employment opportunities.”
