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New | Indian PM visits Silicon Valley as he seeks funds and skills to take home

Narendra Modi hopes to attract funds and skills from US to help burgeoning start-up scene

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On a visit to Silicon Valley Narendra Modi promoted his "Digital India" initiative, which aims to connect thousands more Indian villages to the internet. Photo: Reuters
Reuters

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi began a two-day trip to Silicon Valley at the weekend with a visit to "green" car maker Tesla Motors and a meeting with Apple chief executive Tim Cook.

Modi, 65, is the first Indian leader to visit the US west coast in more than 30 years. His trip follows a US visit by President Xi Jinping, who met several technology leaders in Seattle last week.

Modi hopes to attract funds and skills from US innovators to help India's burgeoning start-up scene grow, and he will seek to encourage some Indians who have thrived around San Jose, California, to bring their knowledge back home.

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At Tesla, Modi met chief executive Elon Musk and discussed renewable energy, which Modi is eager to bring to India.

"Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Prime Minister Modi discussed Tesla's developments in battery technology, energy storage, and renewable energy and the positive implications of this innovation for India," Tesla spokesman Ricardo Reyes said.

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Much of Modi's agenda has focused on connecting with Silicon Valley's Indian diaspora.

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