India Taps Trump-Linked Lobby Ahead of 50% US Tariff Surge
- India hires Mercury Public Affairs, a US lobbying firm with Trump connections, ahead of 50% export tariffs.
- The firm will handle lobbying, media, and digital strategy, supported by a team including Indian-American Senator Kevin Thomas.
- Tariff hike includes extra duties on Russian crude oil, which India defends as a strategic energy decision.
In a strategic move ahead of the US imposing steep tariffs, the Indian Embassy in Washington DC has hired a second lobbying firm to handle federal lobbying, media relations, social media strategy, digital audits, and advertising. The development comes just days before the US doubles tariffs on Indian exports to 50 per cent.
According to a report by the Times of India, the Embassy signed a three-month contract with Mercury Public Affairs, paying $75,000 per month, starting August 15. Mercury Public Affairs will represent India’s interests in the US, leveraging its strong political connections.
The team representing India includes Mercury partners David Vitter, a former Republican Senator from Louisiana, and Bryan Lanza, who was communications director for the 2020 Trump transition team. Supporting them is a four-member team that includes Kevin Thomas, the first Indian-American elected to the New York State Senate.
Mercury also maintains links with Trump’s Chief of Staff, Susie Wiles, who was a registered lobbyist at the firm until November 2024. Lanza has previously served as Deputy Communications Director for the Trump-Pence 2016 Presidential Campaign and also worked as a consultant for J.D. Vance’s Senate campaign.
Mercury Public Affairs has previously represented Chinese companies that were under scrutiny by the US government. In 2018, it lobbied for Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Co., which faced US concerns over its surveillance projects in Xinjiang, and has also represented the sanctioned Chinese telecom company ZTE Corp.
It is common for foreign governments to hire multiple lobbying firms, sometimes as many as six, as different firms handle different roles. India’s latest move follows criticism that New Delhi was lagging behind Pakistan, which hired a firm led by former Trump bodyguard Keith Schiller to strengthen its US influence. Earlier this year, India hired Jason Miller’s SHW Partners LLC, another firm with Trump connections, on a year-long contract costing $1.8 million at $150,000 per month.
The timing of the hiring is linked to President Trump’s decision to increase tariffs on Indian goods, including an additional 25 per cent duty on India’s purchase of Russian crude oil, effective August 27. India has defended its Russian oil imports, stating that its energy procurement decisions are based on national interest and market conditions, as many Western countries avoided Russian oil following sanctions after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
With the new lobbying support, India aims to better navigate the US policy landscape and reduce the impact of the tariff hike on its exports.
