Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is ready to fulfill Elon Musk throughout his journey this week to the United States, and Starlink’s entry within the South Asian market might come up for dialogue, two individuals accustomed to the plans advised Reuters on Wednesday.
PM Modi will meet US President Donald Trump throughout a two-day US go to which begins Wednesday, with discussions on commerce and tariffs concessions anticipated to be excessive on agenda.
Musk is more likely to maintain one-on-one talks with PM Modi, and India’s authorities expects that these might embody Starlink’s long-delayed plans to launch satellite tv for pc broadband providers in India, mentioned the 2 sources, who declined to be named because the plans are non-public.
Starlink has lengthy needed to launch in India and has in current months clashed with billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s firm over how the nation ought to grant spectrum for satellite tv for pc providers. India’s authorities has sided with Musk that spectrum must be assigned and never auctioned, however Starlink’s licence utility continues to be underneath assessment.
Ambani had lobbied New Delhi that he needed a degree taking part in subject and his executives have been fearful that his telecom firm, which spent $19 billion (roughly Rs. 1,65,029 crore) in airwave auctions, dangers shedding broadband prospects to Starlink and doubtlessly knowledge and voice shoppers as expertise advances.
“Musk is agreeable to give assurances on India security concerns, which includes storing data locally,” mentioned one of many sources.
Starlink and PM Modi’s workplace didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
Musk in December mentioned Starlink satellite tv for pc web was inactive in India after authorities seized two of the corporate’s units, one in an armed battle zone and one other in a drug smuggling bust.
The sources mentioned it was not clear if Tesla’s deliberate entry into India would come up throughout the assembly, although elevated sourcing of electrical automobile elements from India is more likely to be among the many speaking factors.
Musk has lengthy criticized India’s excessive import taxes on electrical automobiles and his staff has over time held repeated discussions on organising an area manufacturing base there, however no such plans have but materialised.
Other than Musk, PM Modi is unlikely to fulfill different enterprise CEOs throughout his US journey, each the sources mentioned.
© Thomson Reuters 2025
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