Indian engineers have built a humanoid robot they hope can compete with Elon Musk's Optimus.

Dr Mukesh Bangar, CEO and founder of Muks Robotics, has been developing advanced robots, including Spaceo Prime, a conscious bipedal humanoid bot, and Robo Prime for Moon and Mars missions.

Footage shows a SpaceO robot standing upright inside an office in Pune, India, on March 28.

Dr Bangar said the robot is designed for planetary exploration and can collect and analyse on-site data, providing real-time insights directly to Earth.

The robot is said to be equipped with advanced AI to assist in constructing colonies on Mars and beyond.

Dr Mukesh Bangar said the current iteration of Spaceo Prime is designed for planetary exploration, with a Mars-specific version in development.

'Around 2027-28, we will be ready with this Prime robot, and Spaceo Prime will be specifically designed for Mars-like environments,' he said.

Its ability to navigate and assess extraterrestrial environments makes it a valuable asset for future space missions.

He acknowledged Tesla as their 'biggest competitor' but emphasised India's manufacturing advantage.

'India is ahead of the USA in software. So, I don't think we will be lacking anywhere; we will definitely compete with Tesla,' he added.

The prototype features a 200 kg payload capacity, 10 kg lifting power per arm, an adjustable height of up to 7 feet, and a 7 Degrees of Freedom (DOF) arm for enhanced flexibility.

Two other versions, the Spaceo M1 and Pro, are primarily used in manufacturing, hospitality, and healthcare.

Muks Robotics aims to lead planetary exploration by developing robots for lunar and Mars missions to collect and analyse data on-site.

Elon Musk is a billionaire entrepreneur, inventor, and business magnate known for founding and leading several groundbreaking companies. He serves as the CEO and chief engineer of SpaceX, CEO and product architect of Tesla, Inc., owner of X (formerly Twitter), and co-founder of Neuralink, OpenAI, and The Boring Company.

Known for his ambitious vision in space exploration, artificial intelligence, and renewable energy, Musk aims to launch his humanoid robot, Optimus, for commercial sale by 2026.

Recently, Musk unveiled Optimus, describing it as a versatile robotic assistant capable of performing household chores, engaging with children, and handling repetitive tasks. His influence extends beyond technology, with his role in the recent U.S. election victory of Donald Trump drawing significant attention.