A Threat Beyond Classic Espionage
The recent allegations against Ashley Tellis, one of the most respected Indian-American strategic thinkers in Washington D.C., have sent shockwaves through the corridors of power. The suggestion that a scholar of his stature could have been unwittingly compromised by Chinese intelligence is, to put it mildly, deeply unsettling. While the US justice system will run its course, for policymakers and the strategic community in New Delhi, the real story isn’t just about one individual. It’s a blaring alarm bell about the nature of the threat we face from Beijing.
To view this solely through the prism of classic espionage—of stolen files and clandestine meetings—would be to miss the forest for the trees. The Tellis affair, if the allegations hold, is a textbook example of a far more insidious and pervasive danger: China’s sophisticated and patient ‘influence operations’.
Understanding China’s Playbook: Elite Capture
This isn’t about James Bond-style heists for state secrets. It’s a long game, a “whole-of-society” effort by the Chinese state to shape narratives, co-opt elites, and subtly bend foreign policy discourse in its favour. Beijing’s playbook, often executed by its Ministry of State Security (MSS) and the United Front Work Department, is multi-pronged. It involves funding think tanks, sponsoring academic exchanges, cultivating journalists, and using business deals to create dependencies. The goal is not always to steal a blueprint, but to plant a thought; not to recruit a spy, but to nurture a friendly voice in a high place.
This strategy, often termed “elite capture,” aims to get influential figures in academia, media, and politics to internalise and promote Beijing’s worldview. They might be offered privileged access, lucrative consulting gigs, or prestigious positions, all designed to create a sense of obligation or a shared perspective. The line between legitimate engagement and covert influence is deliberately blurred, making it incredibly difficult to detect and counter. An analyst might start softening their criticism of China’s human rights record, or a politician might advocate for economic policies that benefit Beijing, all without ever seeing themselves as an ‘agent’.
Why India Is a Prime Target
For India, the stakes could not be higher. As a direct geopolitical competitor with a festering border dispute, we are a primary target. Our vibrant, and at times chaotic, democracy, with its free press and open intellectual ecosystem, presents a fertile ground for such operations. While our brave jawans stand guard in the high Himalayas, a different, quieter battle is being waged in our cities, universities, and boardrooms.
The allegations against Tellis are instructive. He wasn’t accused of handing over classified documents, but of being fed information by a handler posing as a think-tank recruiter, allegedly to shape his analysis for senior US officials. The target wasn’t a file; it was his mind and his influence. The objective was to subtly steer the policy debate in Washington, a capital of immense importance to India’s strategic interests.
How India Must Respond
This incident should serve as a profound wake-up call for New Delhi. We must urgently move beyond a conventional counter-intelligence framework. Our security establishment needs to develop sophisticated capabilities to identify and neutralise these nuanced influence campaigns. This involves:
- Increased Transparency: We need stricter disclosure norms for funding received by think tanks, academic institutions, and media houses from foreign entities, particularly those linked to adversarial states.
- Bolstering Institutions: We must invest in our own intellectual ecosystem to reduce dependence on foreign-funded platforms and create a resilient, independent body of strategic thought.
- Public Awareness: A national conversation is needed to sensitise policymakers, journalists, academics, and the public to the methods of influence operations. Vigilance is our first and best line of defence.
The dragon’s shadow is long, and it doesn’t just fall across our borders; it seeks to creep into the very heart of our national discourse. The Ashley Tellis allegations are a flashing red light on India’s strategic dashboard. It’s time we looked beyond the spy and started seeing the far bigger, more dangerous game being played.
