Indian-American foreign policy expert Ashley J. Tellis charged in U.S. for retaining classified documents, alleged China links

Washington, : Indian-American foreign policy expert Ashley J. Tellis, a long-time adviser to the U.S. government, has been charged with unlawfully retaining classified information and allegedly meeting Chinese officials, prosecutors announced on Tuesday.
According to a criminal affidavit filed in a Virginia court, 64-year-old Tellis, who worked with the U.S. government for over two decades, is accused of keeping more than 1,000 pages of secret and classified documents at his residence. Investigators claim that Tellis met multiple Chinese government representatives at a restaurant in Fairfax, Virginia, where he was allegedly seen receiving gift bags during private meetings.
The affidavit also states that on one occasion, Tellis entered a dinner meeting carrying a Manila envelope, which he later left behind. Authorities suspect this might have contained sensitive material.
The U.S. The Department of Justice (DOJ) said Tellis faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 if convicted under charges of unlawful possession of national defense information.
U.S. Attorney Lindsay Halligan for the Eastern District of Virginia said the allegations represent a “grave threat to national security,” stressing that unauthorized retention of classified data undermines the safety of American citizens.
Tellis was arrested on Saturday, according to the State Department, which confirmed his detention but declined to release further details citing the ongoing investigation.
Born in India, Tellis is a Senior Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and previously served in key roles during President George W. Bush’s administration, where he played a pivotal part in negotiating the landmark U.S.–India Civil Nuclear Agreement — a defining step in strengthening bilateral relations between the world’s two largest democracies.
Ironically, in recent years, Tellis emerged as one of Washington’s most vocal critics of the U.S.’s growing strategic embrace of India, arguing that New Delhi often follows independent foreign policies that diverge from American interests.
In a recent article on global diplomacy, Tellis wrote that India’s strategic autonomy often puts it at odds with Washington, particularly on defense alignment and trade issues.
The arrest has sent shockwaves through the U.S. foreign policy circles, given Tellis’s long-standing influence and access to high-level security discussions. The case also comes amid growing U.S.-China tensions and heightened scrutiny of foreign policy experts with access to sensitive intelligence.
If convicted, the case could mark one of the most high-profile security breaches involving a senior South Asian-origin policy adviser in recent American history.