Indian Embassy Hired Trump Insider For Access On Op Sindoor, Tariff Talks
India-West News Desk
WASHINGTON, DC – An American lobbying firm led by longtime Donald Trump loyalist Jason Miller and known for its close proximity to the president was hired by the Indian government and played a role in outreach to senior Trump administration officials on the very day India and Pakistan announced a ceasefire following ‘Operation Sindoor.’
Public filings submitted under the US Foreign Agents Registration Act reveal that SHW Partners LLC, headed by Miller, assisted the Indian Embassy in Washington in contacting four senior Trump administration officials on May 10. The outreach included White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, and National Security Council official Ricky Gill. According to the filing, the discussions were aimed at addressing media coverage surrounding ‘Operation Sindoor.’
May 10 was also the day a ceasefire between India and Pakistan was announced, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio publicly confirming the halt in operations later that evening. The timing has drawn political attention in India.
The disclosures were made to the US Department of Justice for activities carried out between April and December 2025. During this period, SHW Partners reported assisting the Indian mission in engaging the Trump administration on a range of issues beyond ‘Operation Sindoor,’ including a proposed India US trade deal. The firm said its role included facilitating meetings, phone calls and email communications between Indian and American officials.
SHW Partners was hired by the Indian Embassy in April under a reported one year contract valued at approximately $1.8 million. Miller is a well known Republican political strategist who has served as a senior adviser and spokesperson for Donald Trump, giving his firm direct access to key figures in Trump aligned political and policy circles.
Responding to the disclosures, the Indian Embassy said the engagement was in line with established norms in Washington. The embassy said it is standard practice for embassies, private entities and business organizations in the United States to retain lobbyists and consultants to support outreach efforts, adding that India has hired such firms under successive governments since the 1950s.
SHW Partners was the second lobbying firm retained by the Indian Embassy in 2025. In August, just days before a proposed 50 percent tariff on Indian exports to the United States was due to take effect, the embassy hired Mercury Public Affairs to provide strategic communications services. Foreign agent filings showed that the three month contract with Mercury began on August 15, with a monthly retainer of $75,000.
