Elon Musk joined Modi-Trump call on West Asia crisis; White House says talks ‘productive’

Washington: Billionaire Elon Musk joined the phone call between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump earlier this week, the New York Times reported.

Trump had called Modi to discuss the war with Iran on Tuesday, the first interaction between the two leaders since Israel and the US' military strikes on Iran began on February 28.

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 New York Times reported quoting unnamed US officials.

“President Trump has a great relationship with Prime Minister Modi, and this was a productive conversation,” said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement to media reporters.

The New York Times report said the inclusion of Musk, confirmed by two US officials, suggests that the world's richest man is back on better terms with the president.

Trump and Musk had a falling out last year following the billionaire's departure from the government, where he had been tasked with slashing the work force.

The report said it is unclear why Musk was on the call or whether he spoke.