Cornerstone Government Affairs is providing strategic counsel to the Republic of India regarding boosting its ties with the US government and institutions.

The Washington-based firm's agreement with India's embassy covers a range services including tactical planning and government relations on policy matters before the US government, Congress, state bodies and think tanks.

The contract went into effect Dec. 1 and runs through Feb. 29. It is worth a fee of $40K a-month.

Haley Barbour's BGR Government Affairs also has a three-month contract with the Embassy. That pact, which expired Sept. 30, was pegged at $175K over a three-month period.

BGR has not yet been reached about the extension of the India contract but Cornerstone president Geoff Gonella told O'Dwyer's that BGR still works for India.

The US and India have been bolstering military ties as part of the effort by the two nations to counter the growing threat from China.

John Rood, undersecretary of defense for policy, told the Senate Armed Services Committee on Dec. 5 that the US and India are "expanding military-to-military cooperation" and establishing  "a new tri-service amphibious exercise that will be called Tiger Triumph."