In the weeks following Donald Trump's audacious win over Kamala Harris and the sweep of both Houses of the US Congress by the Republican Party, two significant developments have set the stage for an emboldened Trump 2.0 administration:Trump's cabinet appointments have set off shock waves across Washington, underscoring his trademark unpredictability. These choices signal his intent to shake up the established order and reinforce his disruptive approach to governance - something cut short by his loss to Joe Biden in 2020. With far-reaching implications, Elon Musk has officially joined the Trump administration. Musk's inclusion comes as little surprise, considering his public support for Trump during the campaign, including a reported $100 mn-plus in campaign contributions.Musk's appointment is potentially a pivotal development. As an extremely successful businessman with an enviable global footprint and track record in innovation and disruption across industries, he represents the wild card in Trump's leadership team. As co-head of the proposed DOGE, Musk has pledged to revolutionise the way government operates.However, Musk, who describes himself as 'First-Buddy', is expected to extend his influence beyond domestic governance, potentially influencing Trump's foreign policy decisions, particularly with respect to trade. Musk's vast global business interests through Tesla and Starlink could lead to potential conflicts of interest, raising concerns about the overlap between private enterprise and national priorities.This issue is particularly pertinent given the centrality of the 'MAGA' in the Trump 2.0 agenda. Given that Musk is keen to extend this global footprint to India, the next largest consumer economy, his extraordinary influence on the next president may well be the proverbial X-factor in India-US relations. Bro magic:Musk is an accomplished businessman, who disrupted an established automobile market in the US by launching EVs. Similarly, SpaceX has rewritten the rules of space exploration, and the prowess it has demonstrated rivals Nasa.The perception about Musk's growing influence in the incoming Trump administration is not without basis. In his victory speech, Trump singled out Musk for praise, calling him a 'genius', elaborating: 'Oh, let me tell you, we have a new star. A star is born, Elon.'When Volodymyr Zelenskyy called to congratulate Trump, Musk was added to the conversation. Not without reason. Starlink, Musk's satellite-based internet service, influences Ukraine's ability to operate its military in its ongoing war with Russia. This alone ensures leverage over Ukraine - something that Trump can encash to force a truce in the war that marks 1,000 days today.In a recent conversation with NPR, The Economist editor-in-chief Minton Beddoes summed it up best: 'The role that Elon Musk is playing in this transition is extraordinary. He seems to be in so many meetings. I have been racking my brains to try and come up with a historical precedent for such kind of extraordinary influence of one individual.'Similarly, WSJ flagged Musk's importance in the Trump transition team: 'The two men have been inseparable over the past week at Mar-a-Lago, where the Tesla chief executive has become such a fixture that Trump has given him his own 'walk-on song' to play when he enters the dining room: David Bowie's 'Space Oddity'.' India angle: In India, the Starlink project is already stirring debates. Jio   and Airtel recently voiced concerns about Starlink's potential market entry, reflecting the broader tensions Musk's ventures may encounter internationally.In a bid to hold off competition, both domestic telcos wanted GoI to deny Starlink's demand for administrative allocation - as opposed to auction - of spectrum. GoI rejected this suggestion and, instead, adopted the international practice of administrative allocation. However, it signalled that Starlink will have to subscribe to national security protocols.A similar policy challenge has stymied Tesla's bid to enter India. Musk has been demanding customs duty concessions. India tried to meet the EV manufacturer halfway by linking concessional import tariffs to a minimum investment threshold. But, in what appeared to be a rebuff, Musk cancelled his proposed visit to India at the last minute and headed to China instead.Clearly, Musk is interested in the Indian market's potential, but on his terms. This could, given the businessman's proximity to the president, potentially put India in the crosshairs of US foreign policy.If the Harley-Davidson episode is any indicator, India better be prepared. In his first term, Trump had staked a lot of social capital in trying to get India to bend on import tariffs. And recent statements suggest that it is very much on his to-do list as the next Potus. Will the Musk-factor then tilt the scales in India-US relations?