Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke about his meeting with billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, a close associate of US President Donald Trump, on the Lex Fridman podcast. Modi met Musk during his recent visit to Washington. He also praised Musk’s leadership of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

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Lex Fridman asked Modi about key takeaways from his meetings in the United States, mentioning notable figures such as Musk, JD Vance, Tulsi Gabbard, and Vivek Ramaswamy.

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Modi described a warm and welcoming environment during his interactions with several individuals, including Musk, Gabbard, and Ramaswamy. He recalled his long-standing acquaintance with Musk, dating back to his tenure as Chief Minister of Gujarat.

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“As for Elon Musk, I’ve known him since my time as Chief Minister. He was there with his family and children, so naturally, the atmosphere felt warm and friendly,” he said.

Praise for DOGE’s mission

Discussing Musk’s current work, Modi said, “Now, with his Doge mission, he is incredibly excited about how it's progressing. And honestly, it makes me happy too, because when I took office in 2014, I wanted to free my country from the deep-rooted issues and harmful practices that have crept in, and I'll continue striving to eliminate as many of them as I possibly can.”

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Modi linked Musk’s mission to his own governance efforts in India, recalling his commitment to tackling inefficiencies and systemic flaws.

“I noticed that the benefits of certain government schemes, especially welfare programmes, were being exploited by so many people who never even existed in real life,” he explained.

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'Bold changes become global discussions'

Drawing parallels between his governance initiatives and Musk’s DOGE mission, Modi said that impactful reforms naturally attract global attention. “And naturally, when bold changes happen, just like Doge’s mission, they become a topic of discussion worldwide,” he said.

(With inputs from agencies)