The Indian government on Saturday refuted a media report that billionaire Elon Musk joined a phone call between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump this week, with the Ministry of External Affairs saying only the two leaders participated in the conversation.
The New York Times reported that Musk participated in the phone call between Trump and Modi on Tuesday, calling it “an unusual appearance by an ordinary citizen on a call between two heads of state during a wartime crisis.”
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal acknowledged the report and said, “The phone conversation on March 24 was between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump only.”
He added: “As we mentioned previously, it provided the opportunity to exchange views on the situation in West Asia.”
People familiar with the matter said the prime minister spoke only with Trump. “There was no one else who spoke to the prime minister,” one person said.
The sources said that the American side will have to confirm whether Musk was present during the call.
The New York Times report also said that Musk’s inclusion in the phone call, which was confirmed by two unnamed US officials, indicates that “the world’s richest man has returned to better relations with” Trump after a dispute last summer. Musk, who was tasked by Trump with reducing the US government workforce, has left the administration. Trump and Musk “appear to have settled matters in recent months,” the report said.
The report also stated that “it is unclear why Mr. Musk was on the call or whether he spoke.”
During the phone call, which was initiated by Trump, Modi stressed that India supports restoring peace in West Asia as soon as possible, and wants to ensure that the Strait of Hormuz remains open and safe for the international community. Trump had called Modi to discuss the situation in the Gulf region amid growing concerns about energy, food and fuel security.
It was the first phone conversation between the two leaders since Israeli and US military strikes on Iran on February 28 led to a conflict that is now in its fourth week. With the impact of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz on supplies of fuel and other goods, the Indian side has reached out to Iran, Israel, all members of the Gulf Cooperation Council and the United States to find ways to end hostilities.
Modi said on social media that he and Trump had a “useful exchange of views on the situation in West Asia.” He added that the two sides will remain in contact “regarding efforts to achieve peace and stability.”
The phone call was announced on social media by US Ambassador Sergio Gore, who said Trump spoke with Modi to discuss “the importance of keeping the Strait of Hormuz open.”
