Washington, D.C. : Tech billionaire Elon Musk presented Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a special gift during their meeting on Wednesday. Musk gifted Modi a heat shield tile from SpaceX’s Starship spacecraft that had gone to space.
The hexagonal ceramic tile is designed to protect the spacecraft during its return to Earth. It is believed to be from the fifth test flight of Starship on October 13, 2024.
In return, PM Modi gifted books to Musk’s children. The books included The Crescent Moon by Rabindranath Tagore, The Great RK Narayan Collection, and Panchatantra. Musk’s children were seen flipping through the books in photos shared by Modi.
The meeting took place at Blair House in Washington, D.C. Modi and Musk discussed collaboration in technology, space exploration, AI, and sustainable development. They also explored ways to strengthen ties in innovation, entrepreneurship, and governance.
Musk attended the meeting with his girlfriend, Shivon Zilis, and three of his children. PM Modi was joined by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, and other senior officials.
Musk later responded to Modi’s post about the meeting, saying, “It was an honor to meet.”
