In the midst of heightened tensions between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor counter-terror operation, both countries have taken a strategic approach to influence policy in their favour by hiring prominent figures from US President Donald Trump's inner circle as lobbyists in Washington DC.
India has enlisted Jason Miller, a senior adviser to Trump, to represent its interests in the US capital. Miller's firm, SHW Partners LLC, will receive $1.8 million annually to provide strategic counsel, tactical planning, and government relations assistance.
Miller's role extends beyond traditional lobbying, having served as an informal liaison briefing Trump and members of Congress on India's counter-terrorism strategy. Notably, Miller understands how Trump's brain functions, which could help India's diplomacy significantly. "This is not a new practice," said Randhir Jaiswal, official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs. "This has been in place for several decades and under successive governments since the 1950s."
Meanwhile, Pakistan has hired Keith Schiller, Trump's former bodyguard and close aide, to build "long-term economic partnerships" in the US. Schiller's role involves strengthening Pakistan's ties with the US government and private sector.
Schiller, a former NYPD officer, rose through Trump's ranks to become Director of Oval Office Operations during the Trump presidency. He has been described as "one of Trump's most loyal and trusted aides" and "a constant presence at Trump's side for nearly two decades". Schiller is joined by Georges Sorel, former compliance chief at the Trump Organisation, who co-founded Javelin Advisors. Their firm will help Pakistan communicate its perspective to America's executive branch, Congress, and the general public.
The hiring of these lobbyists comes after Trump's unexpected announcement of an India-Pakistan ceasefire on May 10, and his offer to mediate the Kashmir issue, which New Delhi promptly rejected. With the US historically financing Pakistan as a strategic buffer against the Soviet Union and for its war on terror, both India and Pakistan recognise the importance of having their own representative in Washington DC.
Pakistan aims to secure investments for its mining sector, including from US companies, while India seeks to bolster its diplomatic outreach to the Trump administration.
