Indian Lobbyist Logs Eight Calls With White House

A US lobbying firm founded by a Trump aide reported eight phone calls between Indian officials and senior White House staff in May and June 2026.

Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in International Relations

Bold flat-color editorial illustration of a single red telephone receiver standing upright on a cream field, evoking foreign lobbying contacts with the White House. — Indian officials reached senior White House staff on eight phone calls in May and June 2026, according to lobbying filings by a firm led by Trump aide Jason Miller. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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SHW Partners LLC, a Washington lobbying firm helmed by Jason Miller, listed eight phone calls between the Indian government and senior White House officials in May and June 2026 in its Foreign Agents Registration Act filings. The contract with India was terminated on June 23, 2026, after Miller joined the Trump administration as a special government employee.

Why it matters

The filings show how foreign governments use registered lobbyists to reach senior US officials, and how a firm's ties to the administration can intersect with its foreign clients. The disclosures under FARA give the public a record of those contacts.

SHW Partners LLC listed eight phone calls between Indian government and senior White House officials in May-June 2026 in its FARA filings. The Indian Embassy paid the firm $150,000 per month under a contract signed in April 2025 and renewed in April 2026.

The players

SHW Partners LLC

A Washington lobbying firm helmed by Jason Miller that registered as a foreign agent for the Indian government.

Jason Miller

A longtime Trump adviser who joined the administration as a special government employee and previously led the firm.

Marco Rubio

The US Secretary of State, who visited India from May 23 to May 26, 2026.

The details

SHW Partners LLC disclosed the calls as part of its political activities under the Foreign Agents Registration Act. The calls were arranged around Secretary of State Marco Rubio's May 23-26 visit to India, which included two embassy events listed by the firm on May 23 and 24.

April 2025: India signs the SHW Partners LLC lobbying contract.
April 2026: The contract is renewed for another year.
May 23-26, 2026: Rubio visits India; embassy events are held.
June 2026: The eight calls are held with White House officials.
June 23, 2026: The contract is terminated after Miller joins the administration.

Political Context

Under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, lobbyists must disclose contacts made on behalf of foreign governments, a requirement that has drawn scrutiny when registrants have ties to sitting officials. The SHW filings fit that pattern by showing a foreign client's calls to senior White House staff during a high-level diplomatic visit.

The disclosures let the public see which foreign governments are paying to reach US officials and how much they spend. Readers following US foreign policy can use FARA filings to track lobbying activity tied to specific countries.

The takeaway

Foreign lobbying disclosures offer a direct record of who is seeking access to federal officials. Checking FARA registrations can show which contacts a foreign government has paid for.