India Hiring A PR Firm In Washington Is Not A Good Move

India’s secular image has come under great scrutiny, particularly in the western countries, in the wake of a communication blockade in Kashmir and ongoing protests against the CAA and NRC.

During these times of turbulence, the Indian government’s decision to hire the Washington-based Cornerstone Government Affairs, a bipartisan consulting firm specializing in public affairs and state government relations, has come under the scanner. Eyebrows have also been raised over the cost of the 3-month contract for $40,000 a month. The move has been seen by foreign affairs experts as an attempt by India to reach out to a section of Democrats in the US who have been critical of the Indian action in Kashmir.

Deputy Director and Senior Associate for South Asia program, Michael Kugelman sees this move as an acknowledgment by the Indian government that its post-August 5 diplomatic efforts have had limited success in Washington. "My view is that it’s never a good move for a government to hire a lobby group," said Michael. "Looking at messaging and branding make sense in the advertising world, but not in the world of international relations. You can not reduce criticism about a controversial policy by crafting a stronger narrative. Not making a change in the policy won’t get the results." He also said, "The Pakistani state has long sought to project a ‘softer’ side of the country. But Pakistan’s image overseas has continued to suffer, and it will suffer more until Islamabad severs all ties with all terror groups and their networks."

On how would the recent protests in India over CAA and the NRC further escalate the situation, Kugelman says, "Let’s be clear: India’s government has its work cut out for itself as it tries to repair an image that’s suffered blow after blow in recent months."