One Nation, One Election is one of the promises made by the BJP in its manifesto for the Lok Sabha polls 2024.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi strongly believes that investment from across the globe is welcome but the products should have the essence of the country’s soil and its citizens should be engaged in the manufacturing process.

PM Modi, in an interview with ANI ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, asserted that whoever wishes to invest in India can do so, but it must be produced by Indians so that youth can get employment opportunities.

“I want investment to come in India because in India, it doesn’t matter who has invested money, (but) the sweat put into the work must be of our own people. The product should have the essence of our soil, so that our youth in the country will get employment opportunities,” PM Modi said, to a question on Elon Musk’s Tesla and Starlink’s possible entry into India.

During the interview, the Prime Minister was asked about Elon Musk publicly saying that the latter was a fan of PM Modi.

To that, PM Modi responded by saying that Musk is a supporter of India.

“Look, the first thing saying that Elon Musk is supporter of Modi is one thing, basically, he is a supporter of India. And I just met him. It’s not like that,” he said.

PM Modi also recalled about his visit to Musk’s factory back in 2015. The Prime Minister said Musk cancelled his pre-scheduled commitment and met him.

“He showed me everything in his factory. And I understood his vision from him. I went there just now (to the US in 2023) and met him again. And now he is about to come to India,” PM Modi said.

Elon Musk is set to meet PM Narendra Modi in India later this month, as per a post on X by the Tesla chief. It is widely expected Musk may unveil big-ticket investment plan in India. However, the final agenda for Musk’s trip to India is yet to be confirmed.

Earlier this month Musk had said that India, like every other country, should have electric car and it will be a natural progression for his company to provide Tesla electric vehicles in India.

“India is now the most populous country in the world, based on population. India should have electric cars just like every other country has electric cars. It’s a natural progression to provide Tesla electric vehicles in India,” Musk had said in a X Spaces session with Nicolai Tangen, the Chief Executive Officer at Norges Bank Investment Management.

In his interview with ANI, PM Modi said that India has committed to the world that the country is moving very fast on electric vehicle domain and companies must come and invest here.

Outlining the growth in India’s EV sector, PM Modi gave a gist how sales in electric vehicles rose from just 2,000 in 2014-15 to 12 lakh in 2023-24.

“Not 2,000 units, but 12 lakhs units were sold in 2023-24. This means a network of such a big charging station has been created. It has helped the environment and we have made policies regarding this,” the Prime Minister said.

“We have told the world that India is moving very fast on EVs. If you want to do manufacturing, you should come,” he added.

This surge in EV sales can be attributed to factors like, government incentive schemes like PLIs, infrastructure development including EV charging points, increasing consumer interest, and government push to meet green target.

Not just EVs, PM Modi also touched upon how global companies such as Google, Apple and Samsung are making investments in India.

The Prime Minister noted that India is now virtually present in every field and the country wants people to transfer technology with it. “We want people to transfer technology,” he said.

Making a strong case in connection to his government’s flagship ‘Make in India’ initiative, he said he does not agree that India’s wheat should be exported and later buying the end-product bread from abroad for its consumption.

“We want people to invest in capital. We want the youth of our country to get employment. I do not agree with this that my country’s wheat should be exported and we should buy bread from abroad. I will not do that. Whatever I do, I will do it in my country. I will do it for the benefit of my country. And I also make policies for this. I make it with courage. And people are trusting me,” he explained.

The Tesla Chief’s visit to India seemed to have been fast-tracked in the wake of India’s new EV policy, where various incentives are proposed for setting up manufacturing units in India.

The new EV policy has asked for a minimum investment threshold of Rs 4,150 crore ($500 million) and encouraging manufacturers to achieve significant levels of domestic value addition (DVA), the government mandates that by the third year of setting up the manufacturing unit, at least 25 per cent of the parts used to make the vehicles should be sourced domestically. This localization level is expected to increase to 50 per cent by the fifth year of operation.

Under the new EV policy, for vehicles valued at $35,000 or more, a 15 per cent customs duty will be imposed for five years if the manufacturer builds manufacturing facilities in India within three years.

The total number of EVs allowed for import under the policy will be limited based on the investment made, or of a maximum value of Rs 6484 crore, whichever is lower. If the investment exceeds $800 million, a maximum of 40,000 EVs can be imported, with no more than 8,000 per year. Unused import limits can be carried over.

It was reported that Tesla has intensified its efforts to bolster its presence in the Indian market and is actively scouting for a suitable location to set up a state-of-the-art manufacturing plant.

The governments of Maharashtra and Gujarat have extended lucrative land offers to Tesla for the establishment of an electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing plant, signalling a major stride in India’s electric mobility landscape.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spelt out his vision for a developed India by 2047.

Speaking in an interview with ANI, PM Modi also questioned the opposition for spreading fear that the BJP would seek to change the constitution if it is voted to power in the Lok Sabha elections.

“When I say that I have big plans, no one should be scared. I don’t take decisions to scare or run over anyone, I take decisions for the wholesome development of the nation. Additionally, governments always say we have done everything, but I don’t believe I have done everything. I have tried to do everything in the right direction, yet there is so much I need to do because I see that my country has so many needs. How do I fulfill the dreams of every family, that is why I say this is a trailer,” the PM said.

“The second thing is the question of the 2047 vision. First of all, I have been the Chief Minister of Gujarat for a long time. And I am used to the experience. If elections are held again and again then from my state, 30-40 senior good officers used to go as observers, for election duty. So they used to stay out for 40-50 days. I used to worry about how I run the government. Because in the country, such elections keep happening and my observers keep going. Then I thought if I had an election, I would not take that period as a vacation. I give jobs to the officials in advance. I ask them to do this for the next government. So I used to plan for 100 days even at that time,” PM Modi added.

The PM revealed that work on the ambitious 2047 Viksit Bharat project has been ongoing for the last two years and he has even set himself a target for his first 100 days in office in his next term if elected to office.

“I have been working on 2047 for the past two years. And for that, I asked for opinions and suggestions from people across the country. I have taken suggestions from more than 15 lakh people on how they want to see India in the coming 25 years. I contacted universities, I contacted different NGOs and 15-20 lakh people gave their inputs. Then I took the help of AI and classified it subject-wise. I made a dedicated team of officers in every department to work on this. How can it be done for the next term? For 25 years. And then I sat with them and they gave presentations for two to 2.5 hours,” the PM said.

“In 2047 we will be celebrating 100 years of the independence of the country. Naturally, during such a milestone it somehow brings new excitement, and creates a new resolution….In every institution, everyone should have a goal. I am the head of my village, and by 2047, I will do this much in my village. And an inspiration should arise in the country. And the 100th anniversary of independence is a great inspiration in itself,” the PM added.

Prime Minister Modi said that in the current Lok Sabha elections the choice before the voter was between a failed Congress model and the BJP model that had shown its performance.

“If we look at the 2024 elections, there is an opportunity before the country -there is a model of the Congress government and the BJP government. They have worked for 5-6 decades and I have only worked for 10 years. Compare these in any field. Even if there are some shortcomings, there will be no shortcomings in our efforts,” the PM said.

“Secondly, in 10 years, at least two years, we lost to the battle of Covid. And there were many after effects too. Even then, today, if we compare the country in terms of speed, and scale. If we talk about all-encompassing development, on every parameter, you can see a model that yes, we will walk on this path with so much speed,” PM Modi said.

The Prime Minister also committed to increasing the speed and scale of development in the country in order to achieve the goal of Viksit Bharat.

“In the next term, I have to increase the speed as well as the scale. That is my goal. Secondly, you will see that when the people of the country entrust the responsibility of running the country, then we should have a single-minded focus on the country, the people of the country,” the PM said.

“Unfortunately, the political culture of the past was on how to make the family strong, how to not let anyone take away the roots of the family. Whereas, I am working with the aim of making the country strong. And when the country is strong, everyone experiences its benefits. Where something is happening, we are working hard, we are doing it with honesty, these things have an impact. So 2024, this election, we have taken our track record and they have brought their track record,” the PM added.

The PM further reiterated that even in 2019 his government had notched up several notable achievements in its first 100 days, a commitment he was looking to make again.

“Because I don’t want to lose even a minute. Now you must remember, in 2019, very few people pay attention. At that time too, I gave 100 days’ work and went to the election field. And when I came back, Article 370, I did it in 100 days. With the repealing of Triple Talaq, I made my sisters free. I did it in the first 100 days. I plan ahead and put it on the basis.

“Trust is a very big power. And in a country like India, I consider this trust as my responsibility. And that is why I say this again and again,” the PM added.

The Prime Minister further said that he was only serving Mother India like a son and that was his mission.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)