VOI World/ Desk
Tesla and SpaceX chief Elon Musk has said the United States has gained immensely from the contribution of Indian talent, adding that shutting down the H-1B visa programme would be a mistake. Musk made the remarks during a long-form podcast conversation with Indian entrepreneur Nikhil Kamath, where he also reiterated his interest in bringing Starlink to India.
Musk said he hopes Starlink will begin operating in India soon and described the country as an important market. The discussion touched on India’s rural connectivity, urbanisation issues, and what Musk believes is the strong entrepreneurial spirit among young Indians.
Responding to Kamath’s question on whether the US benefitted from Indian migration, Musk said the contribution has been significant. He noted that America has “benefitted immensely from talented Indians” who have moved there, and that the country continues to rely on such skilled professionals.
Musk also contrasted past and current US immigration approaches, remarking that earlier policies were more relaxed. While acknowledging concerns about misuse of the H-1B system by some outsourcing companies, he said completely shutting the programme would harm the US.
He also discussed the challenges of expanding Starlink’s satellite internet services globally. Musk said satellite beams face physical limitations in densely populated cities but work particularly well in rural regions with weaker network infrastructure. He explained that Starlink was designed to improve connectivity in such areas, where traditional internet services struggle.
Musk added that Starlink engineers in the US already include many Indians contributing to technological improvements. He pointed out that global internet demand is rising rapidly and that India remains a critical market for future expansion.
