NewKerala.com

MEA Denies Elon Musk Was on Modi-Trump Call, Says Only Leaders Spoke

The Indian Ministry of External Affairs has categorically denied a New York Times report claiming Tesla CEO Elon Musk participated in a recent phone call between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump. The MEA stated the March 24 conversation was exclusively between the two national leaders to discuss West Asia. This clarification came after the NYT, citing U.S. officials, reported Musk's unusual involvement in the diplomatic call. The White House had previously described the Modi-Trump interaction as a "productive conversation," with the NYT report suggesting it indicated a mended relationship between Musk and Trump.

Key Points: MEA Clarifies Modi-Trump Call Had No Elon Musk

  • MEA denies NYT report on Musk's presence
  • Call was exclusively between Modi and Trump
  • White House called conversation "productive"
  • NYT cited Musk's involvement as unusual
  • Report suggests improved Musk-Trump ties
2 min read

"Call was between PM Modi and President Trump only," says MEA on report of Musk's presence on call between two leaders

India's MEA denies NYT report that Elon Musk joined a call between PM Modi and President Trump, stating the conversation was exclusively between the two leaders.

"The telephone conversation on 24 March was between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump only. - MEA Statement"

New Delhi, March 28

The Ministry of External Affairs on Saturday clarified ist position after the New York Times reported that Tesla CEO Elon Musk present in the telephonic conversation between PM Modi and US President Donald Trump. The MEA categorically stated that only PM Modi and the US President were on the call.

A statement by the MEA said, "We have seen the story. The telephone conversation on 24 March was between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump only. As has been stated earlier, it provided the opportunity for exchange of views on the situation in West Asia."

Earlier, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Friday (local time) said that US President Donald Trump shares a strong relationship with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, describing a recent interaction between the two leaders as "productive".

Responding to ANI's query regarding a report by The New York Times, which suggested that Tesla CEO Elon Musk joined the phone call between PM Modi and President Trump that took place on Tuesday, Leavitt said, "President Trump has a great relationship with Prime Minister Modi, and this was a productive conversation."

On Friday, the NYT reported that the Tesla CEO joined the phone call between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump that took place on Tuesday.

According to the NYT, Musk's involvement in the call marks an unusual instance of a private citizen participating in a conversation between two heads of state amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia.

The NYT reported, citing two US officials, that Musk's participation signals an apparent improvement in his relationship with Trump.

The development comes after a fallout between Trump and Musk last summer, following the tech billionaire's exit from a government role where he had been tasked with reducing the federal workforce through the US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

However, recent interactions suggest that ties between the billionaire and the US President have since stabilised, as reported by the NYT.

- ANI

Share this article:

Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
Interesting how a newspaper like NYT can get this wrong. If Musk was on the call, the White House would have said so. The MEA statement is very clear. Focus should be on the West Asia discussion, not celebrity gossip.
P
Priya S
Makes you wonder about the sources of these foreign media reports. Are they trying to create a narrative? India-US relations are strong, and such speculative stories don't help. Kudos to our officials for the prompt clarification.
R
Rohit P
Even if Musk was listening in (which he wasn't per MEA), why is it such a big deal for NYT? The important thing is what was discussed about global stability. Sometimes Western media focuses on the wrong things entirely.
K
Karthik V
Respectfully, while the clarification is needed, the speed of our response shows we are too reactive to foreign media narratives. We should be setting the agenda, not constantly correcting others. Just a thought.
M
Meera T
The White House called it a "productive conversation". That's the headline for me. India's voice on the world stage is strong and clear. The rest is just noise. 😊

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50