India cuts down US lobbying expenses

Having spent thousands of dollars for many quarters lobbying on bilateral ties and for the nuclear deal with the US, India cut down on these expenses in the last quarter, even as neighbour Pakistan paid a higher quarterly bill for canvassing support for it in America.
   
The Indian government paid a total of US$140,000 to high-profile lobbyist firm BGR during the July-September quarter this year to push forward its case in the US Congress and various government departments on the two countries' bilateral relationship and issues related to civil nuclear agreement.
   
This is down from US$180,000 paid in each of the past two quarters for lobbying on the same issues, according to lobbying disclosure reports filed with the US Senate. In comparison, Pakistan's lobbying expenses here rose to US$410,000 in the third quarter, from US$230, 000 in the second. In the first quarter it stood at US$270,000.
   
While India has engaged just one lobbyist agency BGR, Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan has engaged two -- Cassidy & Associates and Locke Lord Strategies.
    
The agencies entrusted by Pakistan are lobbying on issues ranging from anti-terrorism and counter-insurgency to the US-Pakistan bilateral relations and also Acts like Afghanistan-Pakistan Security and Prosperity Enhancement Act, Afghanistan and Pakistan Reconstruction Opportunity Zones Act and Pakistan Enduring Assistance and Cooperation Enhancement Act.

While lobbyists for Pakistan focussed on the US Senate and House of Representatives, those working for India also lobbied in the Departments of Commerce, Defence, Labour and State as also the Executive Office of the President, National Security Council and the US Trade Representative.
     
In total, Indian government has paid a total of US$500,000 as lobbying expenses in the US so far in 2009, while its total since it began lobbying in 2005 has reached US$2.09million (about Rs10 crore).
     
In comparison, the lobbyists for Pakistan have been paid a total of US$910,000 so far in 2009 and US$1.54 million since 2003, when India's neighbouring nation began lobbying
among the US lawmakers.
     
India spent US$630,000 on lobbying during 2008, US$360,000 each in 2007 and 2006 and US$240,000 during 2005. For Pakistan, the lobbying expenses stood at US$590,000 during 2008 and US$40,000 during 2003.