Ashley Tellis, an India-born American foreign policy advisor, has been arrested after being charged with unlawfully retaining classified national defense documents and allegedly holding multiple meetings with Chinese officials. Tellis, 64, was charged in a Virginia district court on October 13, according to reports. A naturalised US citizen originally from India, Tellis is regarded as one of America’s leading experts on India and played an important role in the India–US civil nuclear negotiations during the mid-2000s.
If convicted, Tellis faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, according to the Justice Department.
Charges Against Ashley Tellis
Federal investigators discovered more than 1,000 pages of documents marked “Top Secret” or “Secret” at Tellis’s home in Vienna, Virginia. The search was conducted on October 11 under a court-authorised warrant.
According to court records, the materials were found in multiple locations inside the house – including locked filing cabinets in a basement office, on a desk, and inside three large black rubbish bags stored in an unfinished room.
Court documents allege that in September and October 2025, Tellis accessed, printed, and removed classified material from Defense and State Department buildings. Surveillance footage reportedly showed him exiting one facility with a leather briefcase after printing classified files related to US military aircraft capabilities
Tellis held a Top Secret security clearance with access to Sensitive Compartmented Information due to his advisory roles. Until his arrest, he served as an unpaid senior adviser at the State Department and was working as a contractor with the Department of Defense’s Office of Net Assessment.
Who is Ashley Tellis?
Tellis began his government career in 2001 and has advised both Republican and Democratic administrations on India and South Asia. His arrest comes at a time when the Trump administration and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard have taken a hard line on the mishandling of classified materials, pledging to prosecute offenders “without exception.”
Born in Mumbai, Tellis studied at St. Xavier’s College before pursuing an MA and Ph.D. in Political Science at the University of Chicago. Over the years, he became a well-known figure in the US–India–China policy space.
Meeting With Chinese Officials, Alleged Breach of National Security
The case has attracted further scrutiny due to Tellis’s alleged meetings with Chinese government officials in recent years.
One such meeting reportedly took place on September 15, 2025, at a restaurant in Fairfax, Virginia. FBI agents said Tellis arrived carrying a manila envelope, which he did not appear to have when he left.
Another dinner in April 2023 in the Washington, D.C. suburbs was overheard by nearby patrons, who reported discussions between Tellis and Chinese officials on Iranian–Chinese relations and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence.
Court filings also mention a September 2 meeting during which Tellis allegedly received a gift bag from Chinese officials.
US Attorney Lindsey Halligan for the Eastern District of Virginia described the charges as serious, stating, “We are fully focused on protecting the American people from all threats, foreign and domestic. The charges as alleged in this case represent a grave risk to the safety and security of our citizens.”
Also Read: Top India Expert Ashley Tellis In The US Found To Have Secret Links With China
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
