‘Not a scholar but a deep state asset’: Sanjeev Sanyal on Ashley Tellis arrested in US over secret files, China ties

Ashley Tellis, criticised for being an India detractor, was arrested in the US for unlawfully hoarding classified documents and allegedly meeting with Chinese government officials. Tellis’ arrest has sent ripples across the US policy space as he is a prominent US policy strategist and longtime adviser on South Asia.

Economist and PMEAC member, Sanjeev Sanyal, called Tellis a “deep state asset” and said he was not a “scholar”. “Irrespective of what the FBI finds on Tellis, we Indians should be clear that he was not a “scholar” but a deep state asset. The investigation is about which deep state - US or China,” said Sanyal.

Tellis is a contentious figure in the Indian policy circle, specifically for saying that India’s push for a multipolar world was mere ambition rather than ability. In a June 17 article for Foreign Affairs titled ‘India’s Great Power Delusions’ Tellis had highlighted several challenges that could hinder this ambition.

On the economic front, Tellis noted that India lags significantly behind China. Even if China’s economy slows to a growth rate of 2 per cent, which he described as "glacial", India is unlikely to catch up. Despite the importance of US support for India’s global goals, Tellis argued in his essay that New Delhi will continue to push for a multipolar international order, regardless of Washington’s preferences.

Tellis also warned that India’s internal political developments could weaken its global position. He suggested that if India continues on its current political path, it may no longer be seen as a model of liberal democracy, a role the world needs most at this time.

He cautioned that if both India and the United States become persistently illiberal democracies, the post-war international order that has benefited both countries could be seriously undermined.

Ashley Tellis, 64, served on the National Security Council under former President George W Bush, and is identified in an FBI court affidavit as an unpaid adviser to the State Department and a Pentagon contractor. Tellis is also a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, a Washington-based think tank.

The FBI affidavit states that in September and October this year, Tellis entered Defence and State Department buildings where he was seen accessing and printing classified documents. These documents included information about military aircraft capabilities. He was observed leaving the premises carrying a leather briefcase or bag.

A search of Tellis' residence in Vienna, Virginia, uncovered over a thousand pages of classified documents marked as top secret and secret. The affidavit also mentions that Tellis had met with Chinese government officials on several occasions over the past years. One such meeting took place on September 15 at a restaurant in Fairfax, Virginia, where he arrived with a manila envelope but left without it.

Due to his roles at the State Department and Pentagon, Tellis held a Top Secret security clearance with access to Sensitive Compartmented Information. The Justice Department has stated that if convicted, Tellis could face up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.