India refutes Elon Musk’s presence in PM Modi-Trump call on West Asia

New Delhi: The Centre on Saturday clarified that the recent telephone conversation held on March 24 was exclusively between US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, dismissing reports that billionaire Elon Musk was also part of the discussion.

The call, which took place on Tuesday, marked the first interaction between the two leaders since the escalation of hostilities involving Israel and the United States against Iran beginning on February 28.

The conversation primarily focused on the evolving situation in West Asia.

“We have seen the story. The telephone conversation on March 24 was between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump only,” a spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs said, firmly rejecting claims of any third-party participation.

“As has been stated earlier, it provided the opportunity for exchange of views on the situation in West Asia,” the spokesperson added, reiterating the official position.

The clarification came after a report by the New York Times, citing unnamed US officials, claimed that Elon Musk had joined the call between the two leaders.

“Elon Musk participated in a phone call on Tuesday with President Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India, an unusual appearance by a private citizen on a call between two heads of state during a wartime crisis,” the report stated.

The report further noted that Trump and Musk had experienced a fallout last year after the billionaire exited his role in the government, where he had been tasked with reducing the workforce.

However, it remained unclear why Musk would have been included in such a high-level diplomatic conversation or whether he had spoken during the call.

Following the conversation, Prime Minister Modi shared details of the exchange on X, highlighting the key issues discussed.

“Received a call from President Trump and 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, secure and accessible is essential for the whole world. We agreed to stay in touch regarding efforts towards peace and stability,” the Prime Minister said in his post.

The government’s clarification seeks to put to rest speculation surrounding the reported involvement of a private individual in a sensitive diplomatic engagement between two heads of state during a period of heightened geopolitical tensions.

IANS