At the India Global Forum, Tesla CEO Elon Musk engaged in an insightful conversation with Indian business leaders, covering a wide array of topics. From SpaceX’s innovative engineering to the cultural significance of the Kumbh Mela, the discussions were diverse and thought-provoking. Ritesh Agarwal, Founder & Group CEO of OYO, shared on social media that Musk was particularly fascinated by the Kumbh Mela, the world’s largest human gathering. Author Amish Tripathi revealed that Musk had been invited to the event, highlighting the spiritual and cultural aspects of the gathering.
Had the opportunity to be among the Indian founders hosted by @Elonmusk led by @IGFupdates . Elon is by far doing the most to evolve human kind or as Peter Thiel says has us closest to getting flying cars.
Some comments from Elon –A. India evokes the emotion of Ancient and… pic.twitter.com/IuHvnHV1YA
Advertisement · Scroll to continue— Ritesh Agarwal (@riteshagar) January 17, 2025
The meeting, held at SpaceX’s Starbase facility in Texas, also included discussions on topics like spirituality, consciousness, interplanetary travel, and even monetary policy. Agarwal mentioned that the business leaders were treated to a vegetarian-only dinner at SpaceX, which he found to be an incredible spread. He also pointed out that Musk is deeply passionate about the role government collaboration plays in advancing justice and innovation.
One of the memorable gifts from the meeting was a pair of SpaceX chopsticks, a nod to the successful return of SpaceX’s Super Heavy booster, which landed on the metal arms of its launch tower, dubbed “Mechazilla.” Agarwal praised Musk’s contributions to human progress, echoing Peter Thiel’s sentiment that Musk is closest to achieving flying cars.
Had the opportunity to be among the Indian founders hosted by @Elonmusk led by @IGFupdates . Elon is by far doing the most to evolve human kind or as Peter Thiel says has us closest to getting flying cars.
Some comments from Elon –A. India evokes the emotion of Ancient and… pic.twitter.com/IuHvnHV1YA
— Ritesh Agarwal (@riteshagar) January 17, 2025
Musk also shared his admiration for India during the meeting, describing it as an ancient and complex civilization with vast potential. He expressed enthusiasm about the growing collaboration between the US and India, advocating for reducing trade barriers to facilitate greater commerce between the two nations.
In a group photo shared by Agarwal, several prominent business figures were visible, including Flipkart CEO Kalyan Raman, Aryaman Birla from Aditya Birla Management, Nilesh Ved of Apparel Group, and Amish Tripathi. Musk’s reflections on technology, interplanetary exploration, and the future of humanity left a lasting impression on the gathered leaders.