‘RSS Friends’ Registers Under US Foreign Agent Law Ahead Of Mohan Bhagwat’s Event

A group of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) supporters has registered with the US Department of Justice as a foreign agent, aiming to expand its outreach and respond to information it considers inaccurate or lacking context.

Called RSS Friends, the group registered under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) on August 27. It listed the RSS, headquartered at Keshav Kunj in New Delhi, as its “foreign principal” and provided an address in Georgia.

The group's proposed activities include public relations, education and community engagement. It plans to interact with journalists, researchers, academics, community leaders, civil society groups and, where appropriate, government officials. It may also organise educational and cultural events and communicate with policymakers about the RSS.

According to its website, RSS Friends seeks to address misconceptions about the organisation that it says have harmed the Indian diaspora, particularly Hindu Americans. The group also intends to correct or respond to information it considers incomplete or misleading.

The registration states that RSS Friends has no written employment, consulting, lobbying, public relations or agency agreement with the RSS specifying compensation, duties or operational instructions. However, it cautions that this does not mean there is no relationship, coordination, authorisation or understanding between the two. The group has said it will disclose the relevant facts about its activities.

The filing lists Rajendra Sonarikar, Jayant Pant and Devananda Gaddam on its board of directors. Separate reports have also identified Pratikkumar Suthar as a person linked to the group.

The registration came two days before RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat attended the Universal Oneness Celebration at New York's Madison Square Garden on August 29. The event was organised by the American Hindus for Engagement and Dialogue Forum.

The move also comes amid scrutiny of earlier RSS-linked lobbying in the US. In 2025, reports said lobbying firm Squire Patton Boggs had been engaged through State Street Strategies to introduce the RSS to American officials. US disclosures reportedly showed payments of $330,000 for lobbying work in 2025. The RSS denied hiring lobbyists, and the contract was later terminated.