FILE PHOTO: Elon Musk’s surprise visit to China this week brought concessions to Tesla but left India feeling left out after he canceled a planned trip there. | Photo source: AP
Elon Musk’s surprise visit to China this week won concessions for Tesla but left India feeling left out after he canceled a trip to China planned earlier this month, with Indian commentators calling the move a snub.
India’s painful response highlights the growing rivalry between India and China, Asia’s two largest countries by population and one of the most vigorous economies in the region. Business and diplomatic relations between the two have been strained since 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers were killed in a border clash in 2020.
Musk was scheduled to meet Modi last week and announce an investment of up to $3 billion in the car plant, but canceled it, saying there were “very enormous commitments to Tesla.” By then, the Indian government had sent out invitations to a startup event that Musk was scheduled to attend.
Musk appeared in China on Sunday, met with Premier Li Qiang and made progress toward rolling out an advanced driver-assist suite in the world’s largest car market.
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Indian news channels, which often take a tough stance on China, sharply criticized Musk’s trip.
The Mirror Now news channel was broadcasting a prime-time news segment titled “Shoddy Ethics or Just Business?” and the presenter said: “Here in India, everyone was shocked.”
The digital news site News9 aired an episode tardy Monday night on Musk with the headline “Hello China, Goodbye India?” Then a message appeared on the screen: “TESLA’S VERY HEAVY DUTIES? Visit to China a week after India’s cancellation.
Neither Tesla nor Modi’s office responded to requests for comment. On April 20, Musk said he was looking forward to visiting India later this year, but the Indian government did not comment on the cancellation of his trip or his visit to China.
Musk’s trip to India could boost Modi’s re-election campaign, as the announcement of Tesla’s investment during the election campaign reaffirmed Modi’s business-friendly image in his bid for a infrequent third term.
The Modi government is trying to woo foreign companies to India as they diversify their supply chains away from China because of geopolitical tensions between Beijing and Washington.
Modi’s opponents used Musk’s visit to China to criticize the prime minister.
“There is such a lack of faith in the Modi government’s regulatory policies that enormous companies are repeatedly turning to China instead of India,” Shama Mohamed, national spokesman for the main opposition Congress party, wrote on the X social media site.
Political satirist Akash Banerjee, who runs the YouTube channel “The Patriot”, questions why Musk did not have time to meet Modi but went to China anyway.
“Do you think Modi will forgive Musk from the bottom of his heart?” Banerjee said in the video, which garnered 268,000 views in 19 hours.
