New Delhi: Elon Musk has credited Indian engineers, scientists, and entrepreneurs for significantly boosting the growth of American technology and business, saying the U.S. has “benefitted immensely” from skilled Indians over the decades. Speaking on the WTF is podcast hosted by Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath, Musk praised the contribution of Indian-origin professionals, including the growing number now leading major global companies.
Kamath asked Musk about the increasing prominence of Indian-origin CEOs running Western corporations. Musk responded that the U.S. has repeatedly gained from India’s talent pool: “America has benefitted immensely from talented Indians that have come to America… America has been an immense beneficiary of talent from India.”
Out now @elonmusk pic.twitter.com/dQVLniUgWA
— Nikhil Kamath (@nikhilkamathcio) November 30, 2025
The conversation later turned to the shifting immigration climate in the U.S., particularly the perception of rising anti-immigrant sentiment. Musk noted that American opinion on immigration is sharply divided. He also criticized current border policies, claiming that under the Biden administration there had been “a total free-for-all with like no border controls,” which he argued encouraged illegal immigration — creating what he described as “a diffusion gradient” of people seeking economic opportunity and social benefits.
Musk Flags Concerns Around H-1B Misuse
Addressing the H-1B visa system — often the entry pathway for skilled Indian tech professionals — Musk acknowledged claims that the program had been misused, adding that this had contributed to calls for stricter immigration enforcement.
However, he firmly dismissed the idea that foreign talent threatens American jobs. Musk emphasized that, in his experience, companies are constantly struggling to hire enough highly skilled professionals.
“My direct observation is that there’s always a scarcity of talented people,” he said, adding that organizations frequently can’t find sufficient experts to handle demanding and complex tasks. From his standpoint, “more talented people would be good.”
Musk reiterated that concern, noting that anxieties about skilled immigrants displacing U.S. workers are often overstated. According to him, the real issue is not replacement — but insufficiency — of top-tier talent to drive innovation and solve cutting-edge technical challenges.
