India, Jan. 7 -- Washington's lucrative lobbying industry, often termed as 'legalised bribery' by its critics, has found itself at the centre of a fresh debate after newly disclosed US Justice Department filings revealed how Pakistan mounted an aggressive private influence campaign in Washington during the 2025 India-Pakistan crisis, while India's own documented engagement remained minimal by comparison.

Incidentally, it was the Sunday Guardian that had first revealed in July 2025 reported that Pakistan had contracted at least 13 Washington-based lobbying firms to represent its interests, creating what was described as its largest influence network in the US capital. The campaign, initiated as soon as it became clear that the Trump admin...