A disclosure filed in the United States has brought attention to India’s engagement with American lobbying firms after one company listed US President Donald Trump’s congratulatory social media post about Prime Minister Narendra Modi among its reported activities.
According to reports based on filings under the US Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), Mercury Public Affairs was retained by the Indian Embassy in Washington at a monthly fee of $75,000. The firm listed Trump’s June 2026 post congratulating Modi on becoming India’s longest-serving prime minister among the work it had undertaken.
The disclosure has triggered questions about India’s spending on political and diplomatic outreach in Washington. However, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has clarified that Mercury’s filing stated that the company only disseminated Trump’s post on X. It did not establish that the firm arranged or paid for the president to write the message.
Why Did India Hire Mercury Public Affairs?
Mercury Public Affairs is an American public relations and lobbying firm with connections to people who have worked in Donald Trump’s political circle.
Following Trump’s return to the White House in January 2025, the Indian Embassy in Washington engaged the firm under a monthly retainer of $75,000.
Reports identified Bryan Lanza, who served as communications director for Trump’s presidential transition team, as part of Mercury’s core team. Susie Wiles, who later became Trump’s White House chief of staff, had also been registered as a lobbyist with the company until late 2024.
The engagement attracted attention because of the firm’s political connections and the appearance of Trump’s congratulatory message in its public disclosure.
What Did Trump’s Truth Social Post Say About Narendra Modi?
In June 2026, Donald Trump congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi on becoming India’s longest-serving prime minister.
The message attracted attention in India and was widely discussed on social media. Modi also responded to Trump’s congratulatory message.
The post subsequently appeared among the activities listed by Mercury Public Affairs in its disclosure under FARA.
This detail raised questions about whether the Indian government had used a lobbying firm to help secure a public message from the US president.
However, the distinction between arranging a presidential message and disseminating an already published post is important. The MEA later said the filing specifically mentioned dissemination of the post on X.
What Is FARA and Why Were the Details Made Public?
The Foreign Agents Registration Act is a US law that requires certain individuals and organisations representing foreign governments or other foreign principals to disclose their relationships, political activities and financial compensation.
The law helps provide transparency about lobbying and political influence activities carried out in the United States on behalf of foreign entities.
Companies registered under FARA periodically submit information about their clients, payments and work performed.
In this case, the disclosures brought details of India’s contracts with American lobbying firms into the public domain.
India Also Hired Trump Aide Jason Miller’s Firm
Mercury Public Affairs was not the only American lobbying firm engaged by the Indian Embassy.
India also hired SHW Partners LLC, a company headed by Jason Miller, a close political associate of Donald Trump.
According to its FARA disclosures, SHW Partners arranged eight phone calls between Indian government representatives and senior White House officials during May and June 2026.
The calls reportedly focused on India-US relations and involved senior officials from both sides.
The officials named in reports included:
- Scott Bessent, US Treasury Secretary.
- Michael Needham, Deputy National Security Adviser.
- Gene Lange, Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence.
- Jamieson Greer, US Trade Representative.
- Walker Barrett, an adviser to the US president.
- Steven Cheung, Director of the White House Office of Communications.
The calls in May took place ahead of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit to India. Further conversations were reportedly arranged in June after the visit.
How Much Did India Pay the Two Lobbying Firms?
The reported monthly retainers for the two firms were:
| Lobbying firm | Monthly fee |
|---|---|
| Mercury Public Affairs | $75,000 |
| SHW Partners LLC | $150,000 |
| Combined monthly fees | $225,000 |
The combined monthly amount was approximately $2.1 crore, depending on the exchange rate.
SHW Partners was initially hired in April 2025, and its contract was reportedly extended for another year in April 2026. The agreement ended on June 23, 2026, after Jason Miller joined the Trump administration as a special government employee.
Its stated responsibilities included strategic advice, planning and government-relations assistance involving the US administration, Congress, state governments, academic institutions and think tanks.
It is important to understand that the combined $225,000 monthly figure relates to the reported retainers of both firms. It should not be interpreted as a payment made solely to obtain Trump’s congratulatory post.
MEA Responds to Reports About Trump’s Message
The Ministry of External Affairs pushed back against claims linking Trump’s congratulatory message directly to lobbying payments.
In a clarification shared through its fact-checking account, the ministry described the social media claim as misleading. It said that Mercury Public Affairs’ filing clearly stated that the company only disseminated Trump’s post on X.
The MEA also pointed out that hiring lobbying firms is a normal practice in the United States and that the Indian Embassy in Washington has engaged such firms since 1948.
The government’s response highlights that diplomatic lobbying is not a new arrangement introduced by the current administration. Successive governments have used professional firms to communicate India’s interests to US policymakers and other influential institutions.
Why Does India Use Lobbying Firms in Washington?
Washington is an important centre for international diplomacy, trade policy, security discussions and economic decision-making.
Foreign governments often hire lobbying and public affairs companies to help them communicate with American policymakers, lawmakers, government departments, think tanks and business organisations.
For India, engagement with the United States covers several important areas:
- Bilateral trade and investment.
- Defence and strategic cooperation.
- Technology and supply-chain partnerships.
- Energy and economic policy.
- Diplomatic communication.
- Engagement with Congress and the White House.
Professional lobbying firms can help foreign governments navigate the US political system and maintain communication with relevant decision-makers.
However, the scale of the fees and the political connections of the companies involved can also attract public scrutiny.
Why Has the Issue Triggered Political Debate?
The disclosure has generated questions about the value India receives from spending public money on American lobbying firms.
Critics have questioned whether a presidential congratulatory message should appear among the activities of a company paid by the Indian Embassy. They have also raised broader questions about transparency, diplomatic access and the effectiveness of such contracts.
The government, meanwhile, has defended the practice as a longstanding part of diplomatic engagement and disputed the suggestion that the lobbying firm arranged Trump’s message.
The central issue is therefore not simply the existence of lobbying contracts. It is also about understanding the precise work performed, the results achieved and whether the public expenditure delivers measurable diplomatic benefits.
Conclusion
The controversy surrounding the reported $75,000 monthly Mercury Public Affairs contract has renewed attention on India’s lobbying activities in the United States.
The firm’s FARA disclosure listed Trump’s June 2026 congratulatory post about Narendra Modi among its activities. However, the MEA clarified that Mercury only disseminated the post on X and rejected claims suggesting that the company had arranged the presidential message.
A second firm, SHW Partners, separately disclosed arranging eight calls between Indian representatives and senior US officials under a $150,000 monthly contract.
Together, the reported engagements highlight how India uses professional lobbying firms to strengthen communication with Washington. They also underline why transparency about public spending and the outcomes of diplomatic outreach remains important.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Why did India hire a US lobbying firm for $75,000 per month?
The Indian Embassy in Washington retained Mercury Public Affairs for professional lobbying and public affairs work. Its filing listed Trump’s congratulatory post about Narendra Modi among its activities.
2. Did India pay Donald Trump to congratulate Narendra Modi?
The available disclosure does not establish that India paid Trump to write the message. The MEA said Mercury Public Affairs only disseminated the already published post on X.
3. What is Mercury Public Affairs?
Mercury Public Affairs is an American lobbying and public relations firm. It was reportedly retained by the Indian Embassy in Washington for $75,000 per month.
4. Who is Jason Miller?
Jason Miller is a political associate of Donald Trump and headed SHW Partners LLC, another lobbying firm hired by the Indian Embassy.
5. How much did India pay both lobbying firms per month?
The reported monthly retainers were $75,000 for Mercury Public Affairs and $150,000 for SHW Partners, making a combined monthly amount of $225,000.
6. What did the MEA say about the controversy?
The Ministry of External Affairs described the claim as misleading, saying Mercury’s filing stated that it only disseminated Trump’s post on X. It also said that Indian embassies have hired lobbying firms in Washington since 1948.
