Sunday 29 March 2026 11:52 BST Bookmark Support Now From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it. Your support makes all the difference. Read more India has categorically refuted previous reports claiming that tech multibillionaire Elon Musk was a participant during a call between prime minister Narendra Modi and US president Donald Trump about the war in Iran. Last week, The New York Times reported, citing two US officials, that the Tesla titan joined a phone call ⁠between Mr Trump and Mr Modi discussing the evolving crisis in the Middle East, and the Iranian military’s control of the Strait of Hormuz. The 24 March call came a day after Mr Trump paused planned strikes on Iran, and as both India and the US stressed the need to keep the Strait of Hormuz open. India has been one of the worst-affected Asian countries by the near-complete closure of the Strait of Hormuz, due to its heavy dependence on oil imports from the Gulf. “Ensuring that the Strait of Hormuz remains open, secure and accessible is essential for the whole world,” Mr Modi posted on X following the call with the US president. The NYT report on Friday sparked criticism from India’s leading opposition Congress party, which raised questions about transparency and protocol during a high-level diplomatic exchange. It hinted that the world’s richest man seemed to be “back on better terms” with the US president, though it wasn’t clear why he was on the call or whether he spoke. The Tesla boss and SpaceX chief has looked to India as a potential lucrative market for his automotive and satellite internet service ventures. open image in gallery