Tesla CEO Elon Musk on June 20 said that the electric carmaker is looking to invest in India "as soon as humanly possible", following a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New York during PM Modi's state visit to the United States.
“I would like to thank the prime minister for his support and hopefully we'll be able to announce something in the not-too-distant future,” the Tesla CEO said.
Musk mentioned that the Prime Minister is pushing foreign business leaders to make significant investments in India. "We just have to figure out the right timing. He wants to do the right thing for India. He wants to be open and supportive to the companies. And obviously, at the same time, make sure that it accrues to India's advantage," he added.
Also Read: I am a fan of Modi, says Elon Musk after meeting PM
The billionaire entrepreneur and chief executive of SpaceX hopes to bring Starlink satellite internet service to the country, which, he feels will help internet penetration in rural India.
Recently, SpaceX executives revived talks with the telecom ministry in India for setting up satellite internet service Starlink in the country, according to TechCrunch, a popular Silicon Valley technology news site.
In late 2021, Starlink registered its business in India and roped in a top executive to manage the local business.
Also Read: PM Modi looks to solidify India’s tech ambition with US state visit
Sanjay Bhargava, the CEO appointed for Starlink India, resigned weeks later after the Centre ordered the SpaceX division to stop taking orders for the devices as it didn’t have the license to operate in the country.
In a LinkedIn post, Bhargava said he has stepped down as country director and board chairman due to “personal reasons”.
Last year, Starlink told its members that New Delhi had asked the company to refund all its pre-orders until it receives licences to operate in the country.
Starlink received more than 5,000 pre-orders for its devices in India but was struggling to receive commercial licences without which it cannot offer services in India.
Further, the Centre had advised people against subscribing to Starlink without a licence and ordered the company to refrain from taking bookings and rendering. services.
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