Indian-Origin Defense Expert Ashley Tellis Placed on Leave by US Think Tank Following FBI Arrest for Classified Information

Oct 16, 2025 02:48 am CST

Prominent Indian-origin scholar Ashley Tellis has been placed on administrative leave by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace after being arrested by the FBI for allegedly retaining classified documents and meeting with Chinese officials. The 64-year-old expert on US-India relations, who helped negotiate the landmark civil nuclear deal during the Bush administration, faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.