In the first response on the US midterm elections in which Democrats won both Houses of the US Congress, defeating US President Donald Trump’s Republican Party, India said on Tuesday that it is an “internal matter” of the US but underlined that the India-US bilateral ties enjoy “strong bipartisan support” across the political aisle.External Affairs Ministry’s official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, while responding to questions, said: “The midterm elections are an internal matter of the US. I have no specific comment on them, beyond underlining that the India-United States relationship enjoys strong bipartisan support in the US. We continue to work to further strengthen our Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership with the US.”Two years into the US Presidential term, Trump has suffered the biggest rebuke as the Republican Party was defeated in the Senate as well as the House of Representatives.Widely billed as a referendum on Trump’s second term as President, the US midterms have dealt a striking blow to his actions that impacted the US and the world, including India.The India-US ties have gone through ups and downs over tariffs, trade, visa restrictions, deportations, and US close ties with Pakistan’s military in the last two years.Must Read | After US midterm loss, Trump says deportation policy might have been ‘too tough’The regular comments by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), and the US federal government commission that monitors religious freedom conditions worldwide, have also added to Delhi’s worries.Responding to the latest USCIRF comments, Jaiswal said, “As I have said before, the USCIRF is a biased and ill-informed organisation with a blatantly political agenda. It is particularly telling that the USCIRF and its Commissioners have consistently chosen to remain silent on attacks on religious places in the US and on the hate crimes and racial abuse targeted at the Indian community in the US. A prejudiced entity can hardly be taken seriously.”Story continues below this adIn a post on X last week, the USCRIF had quoted one of its Commissioners, David Anderson, as saying: “Over the last several weeks, Sikh gurdwaras in India have been targeted with vigilante attacks, including attempts to harm religious leaders. The USG should link security assistance to the Indian government’s response to violence that stops people from exercising FoRB [Freedom of Religion or Belief].”It also quoted another one of its Commissioners, Joe Grogan, as saying: “Attacks on houses of worship in India, including churches, gurdwaras, and mosques, undermine FoRB rights enshrined in international law. The USG should continue to press the Indian government to hold perpetrators of such violence accountable & protect places of worship.”With ties between India and the US going through a rough patch, Delhi has hired lobbyists to maintain communication channels open.The Indian Express reported on November 7 that US Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) filings revealed that lobbying firm SHW Partners LLC facilitated eight phone calls between Indian officials and senior White House figures in May and June 2026.Story continues below this adThe MEA spokesperson, when asked about the FARA filings, said, “It is a normal practice in the US for diplomatic missions to engage lobby firms to facilitate outreach and engagement with the US Administration, members of the Congress, and other relevant stakeholders. Incidentally, past filing records give ample examples of lobbyists facilitating contacts with US Administration leaders and personnel. So there should be no confusion on this account.”“Such engagements are undertaken in accordance with the applicable US laws, including the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), under which the activities of these firms are publicly disclosed. India has been engaging lobby firms in Washington DC since 1948,” he said.The MEA spokesperson also rejected the lawsuit filed by Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun against Indian officials in the United States, after a US federal court allowed him to pursue the service of summons on National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and former Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) chief Samant Goel through Indian courts.Responding to the development, the MEA spokesperson said, “We reject the fabricated and malicious attacks on our high officials. Also, we reject the frivolous lawsuits. A request for the service of judicial documents in India can only be routed through India’s designated central authority, which is the Ministry of Law and Justice.”Story continues below this adThe development relates to an order by the US District Court for the Southern District of New York in the civil lawsuit filed by Pannun.