Tech magnate Elon Musk pointed out the strengthening ties between India and the United States during a visit by Indian business leaders to his SpaceX Starbase facility in Texas.
The delegation, led by the India Global Forum (IGF), was given an exclusive tour of the cutting-edge facility and witnessed the successful launch of SpaceX’s Starship Flight 7.
Addressing the delegation, Musk expressed optimism about the India-US relationship, emphasising its potential for deeper collaboration in the fields of technology and space exploration.
“Things are trending positive. I’m certainly in favour of lowering trade barriers to increase commerce between the US and India,” he remarked during a moderated discussion.
The Tesla and SpaceX CEO described India as “one of the ancient civilisations and a very great and very complex one,” adding that the country’s growing role in global innovation offers immense opportunities for collaboration.
The visit coincided with IGF’s expansion into the United States. IGF Founder Manoj Ladwa remarked, “This event underscores the growing importance of collaboration between India and global pioneers in shaping a sustainable and technology-driven future. I believe India’s rise presents limitless opportunities, and this meeting signifies the potential for powerful partnerships.”
The delegation included prominent Indian business figures such as Prashant Ruia, Director of Essar Capital; Jay Kotak, Co-Head of Kotak811; Ritesh Agarwal, Founder and Group CEO of OYO; Kalyan Raman, CEO of Flipkart; Aryaman Birla, Director of Aditya Birla Management Corporation Private Limited; and bestselling author Amish Tripathi.
The meeting came just days ahead of the inauguration of Donald Trump as the 47th President of the United States and the anticipated appointment of Musk as co-chair of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
The delegation’s visit to Texas followed a series of closed-door discussions on Thursday with members of the incoming Trump administration and key US policymakers.
Among them was Jacob Helberg, designated Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment.
The discussions explored opportunities in digital infrastructure, innovation, and foreign investment while addressing strategies to bolster bilateral collaboration between India and the United States.
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