Hiring Lobby Firms In US Is Standard Practice: MEA On Outreach Row

India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday dismissed criticism surrounding the engagement of US lobbying firms, characterising the practice as a “common and transparent” administrative procedure.

The response came following reports that the Indian Embassy in Washington had hired a lobby group led by a former Trump adviser shortly after the April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack. The MEA stated that filings under the US Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) are public record. The ministry emphasised that the Indian mission has consistently utilised the services of specialised firms since 1950 to navigate the complex US legislative and executive landscapes.

The statement follows intense scrutiny from critics, who questioned the timing of a contract reportedly signed with the firm SHW Partners LLC on April 24, 2025. They pointed out that this engagement began just two days after the Pahalgam attack, which claimed 26 civilian lives and served as the catalyst for Operation Sindoor—India’s largest military strike against terror infrastructure since 1971. FARA documents reportedly reveal that on May 10, 2025, the day a ceasefire was agreed upon between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs), the lobbying firm was in active contact with high-ranking White House and National Security Council officials to discuss “media coverage” and trade conversations.

News18 had previously reported that as Operation Sindoor dismantled terror bases, a panic-stricken Islamabad mounted an even more aggressive lobbying blitz. Documents filed by Squire Patton Boggs on behalf of Pakistan show that between May 7 and 10, Pakistani diplomats made over 60 points of contact with US officials, pleading for urgent intervention to “somehow halt” India’s strikes.

The filings further suggest that Pakistan attempted to leverage its natural resources to secure American support, offering a framework for cooperation on critical minerals and rare earths valued at up to $1 trillion. This was followed by a $500 million mining deal between the US and Pakistan later in 2025. Despite these diplomatic manoeuvres, New Delhi has reiterated that its outreach was primarily focused on managing a $212 billion trade relationship and countering misinformation. The MEA maintains that hiring consultants to “open doors” in Washington remains a routine tool of modern statecraft, independent of its military decision-making.