The world’s richest man and Tesla-SpaceX owner, Elon Musk, also joined the phone call between US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the Iran war and the situation in Hormuz. This incident is considered a unique instance of a private citizen participating in a wartime discussion between the heads of state of two countries.
The New York Times reported on Friday that Musk’s presence in the call, which took place on Tuesday (March 24, 2026), was anonymously confirmed by two US officials. These officials were not authorized to comment publicly. However, Elon Musk is not mentioned in the official readouts from the White House and the Indian Ministry of External Affairs.
Trump spoke with Modi about the escalating crisis with Iran, specifically the Iranian military’s control of the Strait of Hormuz. Prime Minister Modi wrote on Twitter that the two leaders agreed on de-escalation, peace efforts, and keeping the Strait “open, safe, and accessible.” White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt also described it as a “good conversation” and said Trump has a “very good relationship” with Modi. Neither the White House spokesperson nor Modi mentioned Elon Musk in his tweet.
According to the report, it is unclear whether Musk spoke during the call, nor is it known why he was included. Musk currently holds no government position. He led the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in the Trump administration in 2025 but later resigned. This followed a public disagreement between the two, which now appears to be resolved.
While the inclusion of industrialist Elon Musk in a phone call between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump is legally possible, it would not be considered formal authority. The Prime Minister/President of any country can include anyone they wish in the call. This appears to be true for advisors and technical experts. But the tradition of including industrialists has been very tarnished. While this isn’t illegal, it broke protocol and is unconventional.
Elon Musk has a significant standing as a businessman. However, due to his lack of government position, his locus standi is zero. He is neither a government official in the US nor holds any position in India. However, Musk possesses informal power, which he has gained through information technology. This is what puts him at odds with two heads of state. Musk’s Starlink helped opponents in Iran during the war.
Tech diplomacy is currently playing a crucial role in shaping and shattering relations around the world. Today, wars aren’t just fought with the military; they involve satellite communications, cyber warfare, and controlling the internet. Musk owns internet systems like Starlink, which proved their usefulness in the Ukraine-Russia war. Musk is now playing the role of a strategic asset holder. Perhaps that’s why he was included in the negotiations.
If a private individual is participating in war-related negotiations, questions arise: Aren’t corporate interests overriding national interests?
Won’t this affect the policies of the countries involved? Therefore, there’s no harm in calling this privatization of foreign policy. Musk’s feedback could also provide direction for India’s foreign policy. In such a situation, it’s unlikely that PM Modi will ignore Musk’s words. Musk heavily funded Trump’s presidential campaign. Elon Musk provided approximately $250 million to $290 million (approximately Rs. 2,100 crore to 2,400 crore) to support Donald Trump in the 2024 US presidential election. When Trump came to power, he did many things at Musk’s behest. Trump and Musk’s relationship had deteriorated for a while, but now there are reports of improved relations.
This incident demonstrates three things: Power shift – Power no longer resides solely with governments. Big tech companies have also become global power centers. Informal diplomacy has emerged. This is happening alongside official diplomacy. It can also be called shadow or backchannel diplomacy. But the third point is that it carries significant risks for democracy. As the private sector’s influence in government increases, transparency diminishes. The government is forced to make decisions according to the private sector’s dictates.
Congress has taken seriously the involvement of Elon Musk in the conversation between PM Modi and Donald Trump, and has questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Congress has asked whether the call was truly about the West Asia crisis, or was there some other “business” agenda behind it?
Why did the Modi government not disclose Musk’s presence?
Why are we receiving information about this from another country instead of our own government?
During the war, Trump spoke with leaders of various countries, but no businessmen were involved in those calls. Why did this happen only with PM Modi?