Born In Mumbai, Higher Education From St Xavier's: What Is Ashley Tellis's India Link?

Last Updated:October 15, 2025, 20:32 IST

While US scholar Ashley Tellis is a naturalised American citizen, he has a strong connection with India as he was born in Mumbai into an Indian-Christian family

US scholar Ashley Tellis was arrested on charges of withholding classified information. (Image: Carnegie Website)

Well-known US adviser on India and scholar Ashley Tellis has been arrested on charges of retaining classified information and allegedly met Chinese officials.

The India-born 64-year-old Ashley Tellis is an American defence and foreign policy strategist, who has worked in or advised the US government for more than two decades. He was found to have kept over 1,000 pages of top-secret or secret documents in his home.

But, what is Tellis’s India connection?

While he is a naturalised US citizen, he has a strong connection with India as he was born in Mumbai into an Indian-Christian family. Though there is no information on his schooling years, it is known that he completed his bachelor of arts (BA) and master of arts (MA) from the University of Bombay’s St Xavier’s College, Mumbai.

He then went on to study abroad and pursue a career in policy and academics, earning a PhD in political science from the University of Chicago. He is known for his work on negotiating the US-India civil nuclear deal under the George W Bush administration.

But, as soon as he entered the US Foreign Service, he returned to India for a stint as a senior adviser at the US embassy in New Delhi. He kept his India connection alive by keeping in touch with his alma mater, St Xavier’s, and has visited the institution after graduation.

At present, he holds the Tata Chair for Strategic Affairs and is a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, focusing on international security, US foreign policy, and strategic issues in Asia. He has held roles in the US government, including on the National Security Council, as an adviser and worked in strategic planning for the Southwest Asia region. He has authored books and writings on India, South Asia, and their strategic importance.

As of now, Tellis faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted on the charges of unlawfully holding documents.

“The charges as alleged in this case represent a grave risk to the safety and security of our citizens," said Lindsey Halligan, the US attorney for Virginia’s eastern district.

In recent years, however, Tellis has become known as one of the most outspoken contrarians in Washington on the US courtship of India. In a recent essay in Foreign Affairs, he said India was often pursuing policies at odds with the US, pointing to its relations with Russia and Iran, and doubted that India would match China’s strength anytime soon.

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