Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he discussed his country's potential to collaborate with the US on "technology and innovation" during a conversation with Elon Musk. On Friday, Modi shared a post on X detailing his telephone conversation with the tech billionaire and said they had revisited topics from their meeting in Washington earlier this year. Modi's conversation with Musk comes as India is working towards securing a bilateral trade agreement with the US to offset the brunt of US President Donald Trump's potential tariffs. It also comes days before US Vice-President JD Vance's four-day trip to India. "We discussed the immense potential for collaboration in the areas of technology and innovation," Modi wrote in his post on X. He added that India remained "committed to advancing our partnerships with the US" in these domains. Musk, who is seen as being close to Trump and also heads the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), is looking at making inroads into India with his business plans. In March, Starlink signed an agreement with two of India's biggest telecoms firms to bring satellite internet to India and is awaiting government approval to start providing its services. Tesla could also finally be making its debut and has begun hiring for a dozen jobs in Delhi and Mumbai. It is also reportedly hunting for showrooms in both cities. Meanwhile, Vance is set to meet Modi on 21 April, the first day of his trip, for discussions on economic, trade and geopolitical ties. He will be accompanied by his children and wife Usha Vance whose parents migrated to the US from the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. The visit comes against the backdrop of an intensifying trade war between the US and China. Trump slapped India too with 27% US tariffs on 2 April, before he announced a 90-day pause. Since then, Delhi and Washington have been working towards an early conclusion of trade negotiations. — BBC
