Indian business leaders, including OYO Founder Ritesh Agarwal and author Amish Tripathi, recently met with Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk at SpaceX’s Starbase facility in Texas. The delegation, part of the India Global Forum, discussed a wide range of topics, from spirituality and consciousness to interplanetary travel and monetary policy.
During the meeting, Musk expressed his interest in the Kumbh Mela, which is the world’s largest spiritual congregation. Agarwal shared on social media that Musk was enchanted by the event, and Tripathi revealed that Musk had received an invitation for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela. They talked about the religious and cultural aspects of the event, and he showed interest in the connection between spirituality and science.
“We discussed a range of topics from spirituality, consciousness, interplanetary travel, monetary policy, and engineering,” Tripathi posted. He also extended the invitation to Musk, hoping he could attend the Maha Kumbh, a key religious gathering in India.
An invigorating hour spent with none other than @elonmusk, in an exclusive event organised by @manojladwa. We discussed a range of topics from spirituality, consciousness, interplanetary travel, monetary policy, and engineering amongst others. And an invitation to the Maha Kumbh… pic.twitter.com/5U9wXsej6r
— Amish Tripathi (@authoramish) January 17, 2025
SpaceX and Vegetarian Dinner with Indian Leaders
SpaceX invited the Indian delegation to share a vegetarian dinner, in addition to the philosophical sessions. Ritesh Agarwal was pleased at the spread of food, describing it as “one of the most incredible veg spreads at SpaceX.” He recounted an instance where he sought to know Musk’s perspective regarding work with governments to create justice and equity in society, something that warmed his heart.
Had the opportunity to be among the Indian founders hosted by @Elonmusk led by @IGFupdates. Elon is by far doing the most to evolve humankind 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
Focus on US-India Trade Relations and Interplanetary Goals
Musk also talked about India’s historical importance. He said that it is “one of the ancient civilizations and a very great and very complex one.” He pointed out that cooperation between the United States and India is growing, and reducing trade barriers will enhance commerce between the two nations.
Regarding SpaceX’s ambitions, Musk discussed his commitment to advancing humanity’s ability to live on other planets. “The pursuit of interplanetary living is super critical to me,” he said, highlighting his determination to evolve human civilization and move towards technological milestones such as flying cars.
Gifts and Lasting Impressions from the Meeting
SpaceX gave the business delegation a memorable gift: chopsticks to mark the successful return of the Super Heavy Booster, which “Mechazilla,” the metal arms of SpaceX’s launch tower, had caught. The present, along with Musk’s vision, has made an unforgettable impression on them as delegates who appreciate Elon Musk for his vision and his commitment to humanity’s future.
Key Delegates and SpaceX Tour
The Indian delegation consisted of personalities like Flipkart CEO Kalyan Raman, Aryaman Birla, Director of Aditya Birla Management Corporation, Nilesh Ved, Chairman of Apparel Group, and author Amish Tripathi. The delegation also visited SpaceX’s Starbase, where they saw the successful launch and booster catch of SpaceX’s Starship Flight 7.
