India hired ex-Trump ally's lobbying firm for trade talks, US filings show

SHW Partners, led by Trump's former adviser Jason Miller, helped Indian diplomats set up meetings with US officials

The Indian Embassy in Washington hired a US lobbying firm to assist with meetings and discussions linked to trade negotiations and diplomatic outreach, according to filings made under the US Foreign Agent Registration Act (FARA).

 

The firm, SHW Partners LLC, is led by Jason Miller, a former adviser to US President Donald Trump. From the Indian side, Ambassador of India to the US Vinay Kwatra was the person of contact.

 

Public filings show that the firm assisted the Indian diplomatic mission in organising several engagements related to trade talks and broader policy discussions with the US.

What did the contract entail?

According to the documents, SHW Partners provided support to the Indian government on US policy matters during this period. This included arranging meetings, phone calls and email exchanges with officials from the US State Department and the National Security Council. The firm also helped coordinate senior-level visits by Indian officials to Washington DC.

 

 

In its filing, the company said its role included providing strategic advice and government relations support on policy issues before the US government, Congress, state governments, academic institutions, think tanks and other relevant stakeholders.

What was the period of the contract?

India hired SHW Partners for a one-year period starting April 24, 2025. This engagement coincided with diplomatic discussions following the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22 last year and continued through Operation Sindoor in Pakistan, which was carried out in May in retaliation for the attack.

 

SHW Partners was hired by the Indian Embassy for a monthly fee of $150,000. India agreed to pay the firm $450,000 in advance every three months.

 

The filings cover activities carried out between April and December 2025 and are available in the public domain.

What are FARA filings?

Under US law, FARA requires individuals and firms working on behalf of foreign governments or organisations to publicly disclose details of their activities, contacts and payments. These filings are made with the US Department of Justice.