Keeping Modi in Trump's posts costs 75,000 dollars a month

A US firm has counted even US President Donald Trump's social media post congratulating Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as part of its lobbying work. The firm had a contract of 75,000 dollars a month with the Indian embassy for this work.

India has also signed a contract of 150,000 dollars a month with another firm run by people close to Trump. In total, New Delhi is spending 225,000 dollars a month on lobbying in the United States.

The Indian newspaper The Indian Express reported these details on Saturday.

According to the report, Narendra Modi became India's longest-serving prime minister last June. Trump posted on social media to congratulate him on the occasion. The US lobbying firm Mercury Public Affairs included Trump's post in its own account of its work.

After Trump took office as US president for a second term in January 2025, the Indian embassy in Washington hired two US lobbying firms. The people associated with both firms are known to be close to Trump.

Of these, the Indian embassy signed a contract of 75,000 dollars a month with Mercury Public Affairs. Brian Lanza, communications director of Trump's transition team, was associated with the firm. In addition, Trump's former chief of staff Susie Wiles was a registered lobbyist of the firm until the end of 2024.

The firm disclosed this information in filings submitted to the US Department of Justice. Under US law, individuals and firms lobbying on behalf of a foreign government or institution must disclose their activities, associations and financial transactions.

The second firm hired by the Indian embassy is SHW Partners LLC. It is led by Jason Miller, an associate of Trump. India's monthly contract with it amounts to 150,000 dollars.

Under the contract, the firm is responsible for liaising with the US federal government, Congress, state governments, educational institutions and research organisations, and for advising on policy matters.

The filings say that in May, SHW Partners arranged telephone contact between senior officials of New Delhi and Washington. These contacts were made ahead of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio's visit to India.

The firm also listed in its account of its activities that it managed the Indian embassy's 'America@250' event on May 23 and 24, attended by Rubio. Jason Miller was also in New Delhi at the time.

Meanwhile, Harmit Kaur, media coordinator of India's opposition Congress party, shared The Indian Express report on social media and questioned the wisdom of this spending. She asked what benefit Indian taxpayers were getting from spending 225,000 dollars a month on two lobbying firms in the United States.

She also questioned the need to spend money for Trump's social media post congratulating Modi.