The Ministry of External Affairs said on Saturday that the March 24 phone conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump was just between them, denying reports that billionaire Elon Musk joined the phone call.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk joined the phone call between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump that took place on Tuesday, the New York Times reported on Friday. Track the latest on the US-Iran war here
According to the New York Times, Musk’s participation in the call represents an unusual example of an ordinary citizen participating in a conversation between two heads of state amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia.
Clarifying the report, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said: “We have seen the story. The phone conversation on March 24 was only between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump,” news agency ANI reported.
“As we mentioned previously, it provided an opportunity to exchange views on the situation in West Asia,” the spokesman was quoted as saying.
Phone call between Modi and Trump
Amid intensifying global efforts to secure vital energy corridors, Prime Minister Modi held a telephonic conversation with US President Trump on Tuesday to discuss the prevailing conflict in West Asia.
Prime Minister Modi said he discussed the importance of opening the main waterway in the Strait of Hormuz.
“I received a phone call from President Trump and we had a useful exchange of views on the situation in West Asia. India supports de-escalation and restoration of peace at the earliest. Ensuring that the Strait of Hormuz remains open, safe and accessible is essential for the entire world. We have agreed to remain in touch regarding efforts to achieve peace and stability,” PM Modi said in his post.
According to the New York Times, it is still unclear why Elon Musk participated in the call or whether he actively spoke.
Meanwhile, the US Embassy in India shared a surprise message of praise from Donald Trump on Friday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and I are people who get things done, US President Donald Trump’s message said, adding that this is something that “cannot be said for the majority.”
“Our amazing relationship with India will be even stronger in the future. Prime Minister Modi and I are two people who get things done, which can’t be said for most people,” the US Embassy in India shared on X a message from President Donald Trump.
The call for Indo-US relations came amid the conflict in the Middle East that led to the US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28.
