Tesla Inc. Chief Executive Elon Musk met Tuesday with India’s Prime Minister Narenda Modi, and said Tesla will be in India “as soon as humanly possible.”
Modi is on a two-day trip to the U.S., and met Musk in New York. The two had been expected to discuss possible plans for Tesla
TSLA,
to build manufacturing plants there for its electric vehicles and batteries.
After the meeting, Musk spoke to reporters and called his meeting with Modi “excellent and a very good conversation.”
“I am confident Tesla will be in India and will do so as soon as humanly possible,” Musk said, adding he hopes to visit India next year. “Hopefully we’ll be able to announce something in the not-too-distant future.”
Also see: Rivian inks Tesla fast-charging agreement, joining Ford and GM
At a news conference after the meeting, Musk said Modi is pushing Tesla to make “significant investments in India,” and that’s “something we intend to do.”
The meeting comes as U.S. companies are seeking to diversify their supply chains away from China, and India is seen as a potentially lucrative growth market. Musk has previously said he will likely pick a location for a new Tesla factory by the end of the year.
Musk said there is “tremendous potential” for sustainable energy production in India, starting with solar and wind energy generation.
Musk added that he hopes to bring his Starlink satellite internet to service remote and rural areas of India as well.
“I am a fan of Modi,” Musk told reporters. “I like him quite a lot.”
Earlier this year, Twitter — which is owned by Musk — was accused of censorship in India for blocking scores of Modi’s critics.
For more: Tesla’s EV charging standard is becoming widely adopted, in another boost for the stock