India rejected a report by The New York Times claiming billionaire Elon Musk joined a phone call between Narendra Modi and Donald Trump.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the March 24 conversation was only between the two leaders and discussed the situation in West Asia.
During the call, Modi stressed the importance of keeping the Strait of Hormuz open, secure and accessible for global stability and economic well-being.
India Denies Elon Musk Joined Modi–Trump Phone Call
MEA says the March 24 conversation on the West Asia crisis was strictly between PM Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump, rejecting a New York Times report claiming Musk was on the call.
Summary
India on Saturday rejected a media report that said billionaire Elon Musk joined a phone conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump earlier this week.
According to Randhir Jaiswal, the spokesperson for the External Affairs Ministry, the two leaders were the only ones who spoke on Tuesday.
Musk took part in the discussion between Trump and Modi, according to the New York Times, which cited anonymous US sources and noted that it was an "unusual appearance" by a private citizen on a call between two leaders of state.
"We have seen the story. The telephone conversation on March 24 was between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump only," Jaiswal said.
"As has been stated earlier, it provided the opportunity for exchange of views on the situation in West Asia," he said.
In its report, the New York Times said it is "unclear" why Musk was on the call or whether he spoke.
Our prime minister spoke only to Trump, and no one else spoke to the PM, people familiar with the matter said.
They recommended that Washington make it clear whether anyone else was present or listening in on the discussion.
Musk's involvement in the phone conversation, according to the New York Times, indicated a reconciliation between the billionaire and Trump.
Following Musk's departure from a government task force tasked with reducing the federal workforce, the two had a falling out last year.
The US president had initiated the phone call with Modi to discuss the West Asia crisis.
The two presidents had not spoken since the war in West Asia started on February 28.
In the conversation, Modi underlined the importance of ensuring that the Strait of Hormuz remains open, secure and accessible, noting that it is vital for global peace, stability and economic well-being.
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