Elon Musk faces backlash in India over post on British colonisation

Known for his erratic and often provocative posts on X (formerly Twitter), Musk is facing severe backlash in India after resharing a post that appeared to downplay British colonisation.

On October 2, Musk reshared a post that claimed “the British did not rule India but actually became Indians.” The original post read:

“If Indians set foot in England and become English. Then the English who set foot in India became Indian. Therefore, the English did not rule India. There is no such thing as ‘colonization.’ QED.”

Musk reacted to the post with a ‘thinking face’ emoji, a gesture that many users interpreted as endorsement of the claim.

Netizens demand action against Tesla and Starlink

The post ignited anger among Indian users, many of whom called for the government to reconsider allowing Musk-owned companies like Tesla and Starlink to operate in the country.

One user tagged government officials, writing: “Hello @AshwiniVaishnaw ji, this is what the owner of Starlink and Tesla thinks about Indians. This man will spy and interfere in our internal matters. We expect you to kick both companies out of India with immediate effect, unless you care more about money than India's respect.”

Another user posted: “This is the view of the @Tesla and @Starlink CEO, @elonmusk, towards India. Tesla has already opened its showrooms here. Do we really want to do business with people who hold such a mindset? @PMOIndia @narendramodi @AshwiniVaishnaw @PiyushGoyal.”

A third user commented: “Those in India planning to buy Tesla, the founder is a white supremacist and pro-colonism, perhaps descendant of slave traders too!”

Another sarcastically remarked: “Cancel Tesla in India? Just like you cancelled Netflix?”

A history of online provocation

Elon Musk, currently the world’s richest man, heads several global enterprises, including Tesla, SpaceX, X, and the Department of Government Efficiency.

His outspoken opinions on international affairs often draw attention — and occasionally, controversy.

While Musk is admired for his innovation and entrepreneurial achievements, his latest post has once again underscored how his online comments can ignite fierce debate and diplomatic discomfort.