The founder of SpaceX and the owner of Twitter, Elon Musk, has made it clear that he wants to bring his company’s electric vehicles to India. The billionaire said he enjoys Prime Minister Narendra Modi and wants to visit the country next year. He also hopes to bring his Starlink internet services to rural and remote Indian villages.
A photoshopped image of Elon Musk in Indian attire went viral on social media recently and grabbed the attention of the Tesla CEO himself. The AI-generated artwork created by the startup Midjourney showed Musk dressed in a traditional sherwani and embracing Indian culture. “Amazing!!” tweeted Musk, amidst applause from the online community. Many users also recommended that he try out famous local delicacies like idlis, butter chicken, and dosa.
Musk’s interest in AI-generated Indian attire reflects his growing love for Indian traditions and culture. In an earlier tweet, he had mentioned how he enjoys eating butter chicken with naan. He has also expressed his fascination with Bollywood movies and dance.
Elon Musk has been scouting for locations to set up a new Tesla factory in recent months, with India and Europe both considered as potential options. The CEO has also expressed his desire to reduce Tesla’s reliance on China as a manufacturing base.
According to reports, Tesla executives met with officials from the Indian government in June this year. Following the meeting, Musk announced that his electric car and battery company would enter India immediately. The billionaire has also said he is a PM Modi fan and wants to bring his Starlink internet service to rural and remote Indian villages.
Last month, Musk told the Wall Street Journal that he would choose a location for a new factory by the end of this year. He added that he was particularly interested in India due to its lower tax structure. The move comes a few months after Musk claimed he was leaving the Indian market without starting operations because of India’s high import duties on Tesla vehicles.
PM Modi’s three-day state visit to the US saw him meet several prominent personalities from different walks of life, including astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, Grammy Award-winner Falguni Shah, and investor Ray Dalio. He was also invited by US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden to attend a Yoga Day event at the United Nations headquarters in New York.
