Top US Expert On India, Ashley Tellis, Arrested Over China Links, Hoarding Secret Docs

Ashley Tellis, a prominent Indian-origin strategic expert and a key architect of the US-India relationship, has been arrested and charged in the United States with unlawfully retaining classified national defence information and for his alleged contacts with Chinese officials. The arrest has sent shockwaves through Washington’s foreign policy circles.

US Attorney Lindsey Halligan announced that the 64-year-old Tellis was arrested on October 11 and charged by criminal complaint. A criminal affidavit alleges that Tellis, who has advised the US government for over two decades, was found to be hoarding more than 1,000 pages of top-secret or secret documents in his Virginia home. “The charges as alleged in this case represent a grave risk to the safety and security of our citizens,” Halligan stated, vowing to ensure that justice is served.

The affidavit details suspicious activities, including Tellis allegedly meeting with Chinese government officials multiple times at a restaurant in a Washington suburb. During one dinner, he reportedly entered with a manila envelope but did not leave with it, and on two other occasions, he was presented with a gift bag by the Chinese officials. Investigators also claim that on September 25, Tellis entered the State Department, where he was an unpaid advisor, and appeared to print from a secret document concerning US Air Force techniques.

Tellis, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, is a well-respected figure known for his work on international security with a special focus on Asia. He previously served in senior government roles, including as an adviser at the US embassy in New Delhi, and played a crucial part in crafting the landmark US-India civil nuclear deal under President George W. Bush. In recent years, however, he had become a notable critic of the US courtship of India, questioning its strategic alignment with American interests. If convicted, Tellis faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.