Ashley Tellis Arrest: Accused of Sharing Secrets With China

The sudden Ashley Tellis arrest has sent shockwaves through diplomatic and policy circles across Washington and New Delhi, after the well-known India-U.S. foreign policy scholar and public speaker was charged with the unlawful retention of national defense information.

Mr. Tellis, 64, a Mumbai-born strategist with decades of involvement in shaping U.S.-India ties, was arrested on October 11 following an FBI raid at his residence in Vienna, Virginia. According to a 10-page affidavit filed by FBI Special Agent Jeffery Scott, investigators recovered over a thousand pages of classified documents, including those marked TOP SECRET, from various parts of his home.

The U.S. Attorney’s office in Virginia confirmed that Tellis faces charges under 18 U.S.C. § 793(e), a law dealing with unauthorized possession or transmission of national security information. If convicted, he could face up to ten years in prison and substantial fines.

Ashley Tellis: Shock in Indian and U.S. Policy Circles

The news has been met with disbelief in New Delhi, where Tellis was known to have “extraordinary access” to senior officials across administrations. A former Indian diplomat described him as a “highly regarded scholar” who enjoyed trust from both former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and current Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Tellis’s reputation as a policy intellectual was cemented when Modi himself launched his co-edited book Getting India Back on Track in 2014, followed by the release of Grasping Greatness by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in 2022.

Yet, the FBI affidavit paints a different picture. It alleges that Tellis met officials of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) on four separate occasions between 2022 and September 2025 at restaurants in Fairfax, Virginia. Surveillance reportedly captured him handing over documents in a “manila envelope” and receiving a “red gift bag” in return.

Career Built Around India-U.S. Relations

Born in Mumbai and educated at St. Xavier’s College and the University of Chicago, Ashley Tellis was recruited by former U.S. Ambassador to India Robert Blackwill as Special Assistant from 2000 to 2003. He later served under Under Secretary of State Nicholas Burns, where he played a crucial role in shaping the 2006 U.S.-India Civil Nuclear Deal during President George W. Bush’s visit to Delhi.

Tellis became a familiar face in Washington think tanks, frequently publishing essays that argued for India to move away from non-alignment and strengthen defense cooperation with the U.S. In recent years, however, his critiques of India’s domestic politics, military procurement, and foreign policy ambitions occasionally ruffled feathers in New Delhi.

Ashley Tellis: Allegations of Espionage

The FBI investigation reveals a troubling timeline. On September 12, 2025, Tellis allegedly logged into a Department of Defense secure system, printed highly sensitive documents—including one on a U.S. fighter aircraft—and took them home. Within weeks, he was under closer surveillance, leading to his arrest.

Although Tellis cooperated with authorities during the search, unlocking his computer and providing keys, investigators say the volume of sensitive material stored at his residence was staggering.

The alleged meetings with Chinese officials raise serious concerns given his long-standing stance against Beijing’s strategic ambitions. This contradiction has intensified debate in policy circles, with many expressing disbelief at the possibility that he could have shared sensitive material with U.S. rivals.

Fallout in Policy and Academic Institutions

The arrest has already sparked institutional backlash. Several think tanks in Washington and India that previously hosted Tellis as a keynote speaker have scrubbed references to him from their websites. The Asia Group, which had engaged him as a Special Advisor on South Asia, terminated his contract on October 14.

Tellis remains listed as the Tata Chair for Strategic Affairs and a Senior Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, though the organization has not yet issued an official statement.

Meanwhile, in India, the Ministry of External Affairs has declined comment, while the U.S. Embassy in Delhi reiterated its policy of not speaking on ongoing investigations.

Political Reactions

In India, the ruling BJP’s Amit Malviya suggested that the arrest explained Tellis’s “frequent and harsh criticism” of the government in recent years. Critics, however, caution against drawing conclusions until the case proceeds in court.

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