SAN FRANCISCO: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi began a two-day trip to Silicon Valley on Saturday with a visit to "green" car maker Tesla Motors Inc and a meeting with Apple Inc's CEO, Tim Cook.

Modi, 65, is the first Indian leader to visit the United States (US) West Coast in more than 30 years. His trip follows a US visit by China's president, Xi Jinping, who met with several tech leaders in Seattle earlier this week.

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

At Tesla, Modi met with Chief Executive Elon Musk and discussed renewable energy, which Modi is eager to bring back 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.

Much of Modi's agenda will also focus on connecting with Silicon Valley's Indian diaspora.

Shortly after his afternoon arrival, he also met with the Indian community at his hotel and later met with members of the Sikh community.

Modi was also set to meet with Indian-born CEOs Satya Nadella and Sundar Pichai of Microsoft Corp and Google Inc, respectively, before a dinner with 350 business leaders on Saturday evening.

Nadella and Pichai are expected to lead a panel at the dinner, along with Adobe Systems Inc CEO Shantanu Narayen, to discuss the economy and Modi's "Digital India" initiative, which aims to connect thousands more Indian villages to the Internet and create more tech jobs. Modi is also scheduled to deliver a speech.

While Modi is likely to be received like a rock star in an area that is home to many of the world's biggest high-tech firms, some groups have protested his arrival and urged tech companies to boycott the visit.

The groups include Sikhs for Justice, which has called on its members to picket Facebook Inc headquarters during a Facebook town hall, and the Alliance for Justice and Accountability.

Modi has been criticized for failing to do enough to stop religious riots that killed about 1,000 people in the Indian state of Gujarat in 2002, when he was chief minister of the state. Most of those killed were Muslims. Modi has vehemently denied any wrongdoing.

Also read: Indian PM Modi to visit Facebook HQ on Sept 27

Follow Dawn Business on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook for insights on business, finance and tech from Pakistan and across the world.

Opinion

Editorial

Weathering the storm
Updated 29 Apr, 2024

Weathering the storm

Let 2024 be the year when we all proactively ensure that our communities are safeguarded and that the future is secure against the inevitable next storm.
Afghan repatriation
29 Apr, 2024

Afghan repatriation

COMPARED to the roughshod manner in which the caretaker set-up dealt with the issue, the elected government seems a...
Trying harder
29 Apr, 2024

Trying harder

IT is a relief that Pakistan managed to salvage some pride. Pakistan had taken the lead, then fell behind before...
Return to the helm
Updated 28 Apr, 2024

Return to the helm

With Nawaz Sharif as PML-N president, will we see more grievances being aired?
Unvaxxed & vulnerable
Updated 28 Apr, 2024

Unvaxxed & vulnerable

Even deadly mosquito-borne illnesses like dengue and malaria have vaccines, but they are virtually unheard of in Pakistan.
Gaza’s hell
Updated 28 Apr, 2024

Gaza’s hell

Perhaps Western ‘statesmen’ may moderate their policies if a significant percentage of voters punish them at the ballot box.