New York/Brussels — India’s extensive lobbying efforts in the United States, aimed at maligning Pakistan and influencing foreign policy decisions, have once again come under scrutiny. Documents filed under the U.S. Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), along with investigations by the Brussels-based EU DisinfoLab, reveal a pattern of covert operations involving major Indian corporations, think tanks, and media platforms.
According to official records, Indian conglomerates such as the Adani Group and Tata Group have hired top U.S. lobbying and legal firms, including Kirkland & Ellis and Quinn Emanuel, to represent Indian strategic and commercial interests. Notably, representatives of Adani reportedly lobbied officials during the Trump administration in a bid to influence the outcome of a $265 million bribery and fraud investigation initiated by U.S. authorities.
These lobbying campaigns were not limited to corporate matters. Analysts argue they were also part of a broader Indian strategy to undermine Pakistan’s global standing. Multiple disinformation operations—backed by shell organizations like the Srivastava Group and platforms such as New Delhi Times—have been documented in detail by DisinfoLab, exposing a vast network of fake NGOs and media outlets functioning to serve India’s strategic communications agenda abroad.
Recently, Indian television network NewsX, known for its alignment with the BJP’s nationalist narrative, aired a segment claiming that Pakistan hired lobbying firms to gain influence during the Trump era. However, the broadcast garnered only 323 views in 10 hours, raising questions about its impact and authenticity.
Experts view such reports as a reflection of India’s discomfort with Pakistan’s independent diplomatic relevance. “India appears increasingly anxious about Pakistan’s engagements on the world stage, especially when they’re not filtered through Delhi’s lens,” one Washington-based analyst told HTN.
