'Vedas talk about flying vehicles': Elon Musk's father finds India ‘absolutely fascinating’

Errol Musk, the father of tech billionaire Elon Musk who spent his early life in apartheid-era South Africa, poses for a portrait at his house Langebaan, South Africa on May 26, 2022.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s father Errol Musk, who arrived in India on Sunday, has expressed his deep admiration for the country’s ancient spiritual and cultural legacy.

Speaking to news agency ANI, the 78-year-old South African engineer and pilot said, “I am very keen on doing that (visit Ram Mandir in Ayodhya). I have a very humble appreciation of India's incredible history. To my mind, the history of the world really probably comes back to India at some point.”

He went on to cite ancient Indian texts, including the Vedas, which he claimed date back 14,000 years or earlier — well beyond most mainstream archaeological estimates — and contain references to advanced technologies. "Some of the Vedas even talk about flying vehicles. I have those Vedas with me," he said, adding that he had written a book that includes stories and information about India, including places like Kashmir and Delhi.

#WATCH | Delhi: On India's cultural, heritage and spirituality, father of Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Servotec's Errol Musk says, "I am very keen on doing that (visit Ram Mandir in Ayodhya). I have a very humble appreciation of India's incredible history. To my mind, the history of pic.twitter.com/GKLlhvwcBR
ANI (@ANI) June 2, 2025

Musk's mention of "flying vehicles" in ancient Indian texts refers to the concept of vimanas, described in Sanskrit epics like the Mahabharata and Ramayana, has fascinated scholars, spiritualists, and speculative historians for decades. In these texts, vimanas are depicted as aerial vehicles used by gods and epic heroes, capable of great speeds and long-distance travel.

Errol is on a five-day trip to India, starting from June 1 till June 6. After concluding his visit, he will depart for South Africa. Errol has recently been appointed a member of the global advisory board of homegrown company Servotech.

Errol Musk, known for his work in technology, infrastructure, and clean energy, will offer strategic guidance to Servotech’s leadership team, the company said.

As part of his engagement, Musk will “participate in a tour of Servotech’s manufacturing facilities in India. He will engage with key government and investor groups through curated roundtable sessions”, according to a PTI report.