As the high-profile fallout between US President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk exploded, Indian National Congress couldn't resist taking a dig. Congress's Kerala unit took to X to mock the public feud and throw a pointed barb at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s longstanding association with industrialist Gautam Adani.

"Dear Elon Musk," the Congress post read, "Anyone can start a relationship. Few can stay in one. You should visit India and meet Modi and Adani to understand how to keep a CM or PM loyal for over 23 years."

Billionaire vs President: Allegations fly in online slugfest

The feud escalated on social media after Musk lashed out at Trump’s “One Big, Beautiful Bill” — a multi-trillion-dollar tax and spending package that recently passed the US House of Representatives.

In a bombshell post on X, Musk wrote: “Time to drop the really big bomb: @realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public. Have a nice day, DJT!”

Though Musk offered no evidence, his claim was widely shared. Critics were quick to point out Musk’s own association with Ghislaine Maxwell, longtime associate of Jeffrey Epstein, adding to the spectacle.

The Modi-Adani bond

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s international diplomacy has often coincided with the overseas expansion of Gautam Adani’s business empire, spanning sectors such as ports, airports, power, coal and defence. As early as 2015, Indian media had noted a pattern: wherever Modi travelled, Adani was often not far behind.

Soon after Modi became Prime Minister in 2014, Adani Group's business had reportedly expanded rapidly into ports, airports, power, renewable energy and even data centers.

Adani’s net worth in 2014 was estimated at around $3.5 billion. By 2022, he briefly became the second-richest person in the world, with a surge in his wealth capacity as Modi enjoyed his second term as PM.

Narendra Modi reportedly used a private aircraft owned by Adani Group during his 2014 national election campaign.

The Adani Group has reportedly also secured bids and granted control over strategic public assets such as six airports (including Mumbai) and major ports such as Mundra and Vizhinjam.

Over the past decade, the Adani Group’s rise on the global stage has frequently mirrored Modi’s foreign visits or high-level diplomatic engagements. In several instances, major business agreements followed closely on the heels of such interactions.