Indian-American Security Expert Ashley Tellis Arrested in US for Possessing Classified Documents

Indian-Origin US Security Expert Ashley Tellis Arrested Over Classified Documents and China Meetings.

Ashley Tellis, a prominent US defense and foreign policy analyst of Indian origin, has been arrested for allegedly retaining classified national defense documents and meeting with Chinese government officials, according to court filings unsealed this week.

The Justice Department said Tellis, 64, unlawfully kept over a thousand pages of top secret and secret documents at his home in Vienna, Virginia. The arrest comes as US authorities increase scrutiny over the handling of sensitive material and foreign contacts.

Career and Background

Born in Mumbai, Tellis studied at St. Xavier’s College and earned a Ph.D. in political science from the University of Chicago, where he also completed his MA. He joined the US government in 2001 and became a senior adviser on India and South Asia policy, serving under multiple administrations. Tellis worked with the National Security Council under President George W. Bush and has been an unpaid adviser to the State Department and a contractor with the Pentagon’s Office of Net Assessment. He is also a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Alleged Security Violations

Court records allege that Tellis accessed, printed, and removed classified documents from Defense and State Department facilities in September and October 2025. Surveillance reportedly showed him leaving with a leather briefcase containing material on US military aircraft capabilities.

A search on October 11 uncovered secret documents stored across his home, including locked filing cabinets, a basement desk, and even black trash bags. Tellis reportedly cooperated with investigators, unlocking his laptop and providing keys to the filing cabinets. He held a Top Secret clearance with Sensitive Compartmented Information access.

Meetings with Chinese Officials

The case drew additional attention due to multiple meetings with Chinese officials:

September 15, 2025: Meeting in Fairfax, Virginia, allegedly involving the exchange of sensitive documents.

April 2023: Dinner in the Washington DC suburbs discussing Iranian-Chinese relations and emerging technologies, including AI.

September 2, 2025: Received a gift bag from Chinese officials.

US Attorney Lindsey Halligan said:

“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.”

If convicted, Tellis faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Views on India

Tellis has also written extensively on South Asian geopolitics. In a June 2025 essay in Foreign Affairs, “India’s Great Power Delusions,” he argued that India’s ambitions for a multipolar world may exceed its capabilities, citing economic and political challenges. He warned that continued illiberal trends in both India and the US could weaken the post-war global order.