Elon Musk’s attempts to win over India have stalled across his portfolio. Tesla sold only 29 cars in February, a 0.2% slice of the 13,733 EVs bought that month, and the company has moved 225 units since opening its first showroom in July 2025. High tariffs and a $65,000 entry price keep the brand out of reach for most Indian buyers in a price‑sensitive market.

Starlink’s push faces a parallel roadblock. India’s telecom duopoly, Jio and Airtel, initially lobbied against satellite‑spectrum allocation, yet both signed separate deals to offer the service by March 2025. The firm secured an operating licence in June, but still lingering regulatory hurdles and competition from for broadband plans as low as $10 a month threaten widespread adoption today.

X, the rebranded Twitter, remains Musk’s only sizable Indian foothold, with roughly 23 million users. The platform now battles a court case demanding tighter government censorship, a fight that could reshape its operating model. Recent meetings, such as SpaceX president Gwynne Shotwell’s April 1 discussion with communications minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, signal continued diplomatic effort, but no clear path forward emerges.