India has signed a new 12-month lobbying contract worth $1.8 million with SHW Partners LLC, a Washington-based firm founded by former Donald Trump spokesperson Jason Miller. The agreement aims to strengthen India's engagement with the Trump administration and other key decision-makers in the United States.

The Indian Embassy in Washington signed the contract after first hiring the firm in April 2025. According to disclosure documents reviewed by HT, the latest agreement started on April 24, 2026, and will remain in effect until April 23, 2027.

The disclosure filed with the US Department of Justice on June 17 explains the role of SHW Partners. It states, “SHW provides strategic counsel, tactical planning, and government relations assistance on policy matters before the US Government, US Congress, state governments, academic institutions, think tanks, and any other relevant stakeholders.”

India had earlier hired SHW Partners under a similar contract that covered the period from April 2025 to April 2026. Under that arrangement, the Indian Embassy paid the firm $450,000 in advance every quarter. The new agreement continues India's association with the lobbying firm as it works to strengthen diplomatic and policy engagement with the United States.

Jason Miller, the founder of SHW Partners, is a well-known political strategist and a close associate of US President Donald Trump. He came into the national spotlight in 2016 when he served as Trump's chief media spokesperson during the presidential campaign. Miller did not join the Trump administration after facing a controversy at the time. However, he continued to remain an influential figure within Trump's political circle. He later advised Trump's 2020 re-election campaign and returned as a strategist for the 2024 presidential campaign.

Disclosure documents also show that SHW Partners played an active role in supporting India's engagement with senior officials in the Trump administration after the Pahalgam terror attack in April 2025. The firm also assisted during Operation Sindoor, which took place in May.

As part of its outreach efforts, SHW Partners contacted several top officials in the US administration. These included White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, Under Secretary of War Elbridge Colby, and then-National Security Council official Ricky Gill. The firm's efforts focused on strengthening communication between India and important policymakers in Washington during a sensitive period.

The disclosures further reveal that SHW Partners worked on media outreach during Operation Sindoor. After the operation began in the early hours of May 7, the firm proposed an interview for India's Ambassador to the United States, Vinay Kwatra, with Fox News anchor Brett Baier, a move aimed at increasing India's visibility and presenting its position through a major American news platform.

In June, SHW Partners continued its efforts by contacting several US government departments to arrange meetings for External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar with senior American officials. The proposed meetings included Vice President JD Vance, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. These efforts formed part of India's broader diplomatic engagement with the United States.

The firm's work also continued during July and August. During this period, SHW Partners facilitated outreach to officials at the White House, the Office of the US Trade Representative, and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. These discussions focused on ongoing trade negotiations between India and the United States. The outreach reflected India's efforts to maintain close communication with senior US officials on important economic and strategic issues.

The latest contract highlights India's continued investment in professional lobbying services to strengthen its diplomatic presence in Washington. By working with SHW Partners, India seeks to improve its engagement with the Trump administration, senior government officials, policymakers, think tanks, academic institutions, and other influential stakeholders in the United States.