India hires US lobby firm with Trump tires such as rates weave

(Bloomberg) -India’s Embassy in Washington has rented a lobby firm with close ties with the Trump administration and a history of advocate of foreign entities targeted by the US, just before 50% rates come into effect on the export of the South Asian country. The embassy pays $ 75,000 a month to Mercury Public Affairs LLC to provide government relations, media relations and other services, according to a submission of the agreement on August 18 in which the agreement is set out. White House staff Susie Wiles is a former co -chair of Mercury. The mercury partner Bryan Lanza, who previously served as communications director of President Donald Trump’s transition team, was listed according to a separate disclosure among those working on the account. India’s Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Mercury did not respond to a request sent to working hours in the US. The appointment comes because the US -India relationship has been rapidly under Trump in recent months. Recently, ties have been hampered by the White House vow to set up 50% rates – which came into effect on Wednesday – on Indian goods as punishment for the continued purchases of Russian oil in New -Delhi. The White House argued that the oil purchases fund Vladimir Putin’s war against Ukraine, but Indian officials say they stabilize oil markets, adding that Washington had previously approved the purchases. The US is India’s number 1 trading partner, and New -Delhi is worried that rates could ruin exporters. On Saturday, Trump nominated the White House Sergio Gor official as ambassador to India and presented a close assistance to fill a post that was vacant since returning to the White House. Indian officials struggled to partly work with the Trump administration because major roles in foreign policy – including the Ambassador post – were empty for so long, Bloomberg News reported. “Trump has been waiting more than seven months until the ties of the US India sank to a new low to call an ambassador to India,” said Brahma Chellaney, Professor Emeritus of Strategic Studies at the Center for Policy Research in New Delhi. Yet Indian officials recently emphasized that, despite the tensions, good relations with the US remain a priority. The weekend of Indian Foreign Minister Subhanyam Jaishankar said the US and India continue to negotiate a prestigious trade transaction despite the recent setbacks. While trade talks have come to a standstill, Trump has beaten India as a ‘dead’ economy with ‘unpleasant’ trading barriers. Mercury has a good record of lobby work on behalf of foreign clients who came into the cross of Washington. For example, the firm announced a contract with the Embassy of Denmark earlier this year, which is opposed to Trump’s pressure to take control of its self -governing area of ​​Greenland. Mercury also previously represented several Chinese companies that targeted Trump. In 2018, Mercury for the US arm of Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Co., targeted by the US, targeted his work on supervision projects in Chinese region Xinjiang. Mercury also set up on behalf of the approved Chinese telecommunications firm ZTE Corp and separately Gautam Adani has also strengthened his Washington -Lobby operation since Trump has taken over the White House. The Indian tycoon-the second richest person of Asia and a confidant of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-BetAwer charges of involvement in an alleged bribery scheme. With the help of Sudhi Ranjan Sen. © 2025 Bloomberg MP Disclaimer: This story was published from a wire agency feed without changes to the text.