U.S. hands over 105 antiquities to India

Spanning a period from 2nd-3rd century CE to 18th-19th century CE, the artefacts are made of terracotta, stone, metal and wood

One of the antiquities handed over by the U.S. to India | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

The United States on Monday handed over 105 trafficked antiquities to India.

The repatriation ceremony was held at the Indian Consulate in New York and the antiquities would soon be transported to India, a statement from the consulate said.

The restitution of the artefacts is a follow up of an agreement to the effect during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to the U.S. last month.

Some of the 105 trafficked antiquities handed over by the U.S. to India | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

India and the U.S. have also agreed to work for a Cultural Property Agreement that would help prevent illegal trafficking of cultural artefacts in future during the visit, a statement from the Indian Consulate said.

Such an understanding would add further value to the dynamic bilateral collaboration between Homeland Security and law enforcement agencies of the two countries, Ambassador of India to the United States Taranjit Singh Sandhu said adding “For the people of India, these were not just pieces of art but part of their living heritage and culture”.

The repatriation ceremony was attended by senior officials from the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office and the Homeland Security Investigation team. 

One of the antiquities handed over by the U.S. to India | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

The 105 artefacts represent a wide geographical spread in terms of their origin in India – with 47 from eastern India, 27 from southern India, 22 from central India, six from northern India and three from western India. 

Spanning a period from 2nd-3rd century CE to 18th-19th century CE, the artefacts are made of terracotta, stone, metal and wood. Around 50 of them have religious significance.

Some of the antiquities handed over by the U.S. to India | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

The Indian government has made concerted efforts to bring back stolen Indian antiquities over the last few years.

During Mr. Modi’s 2016 visit to the U.S., 16 artefacts were handed over by the U.S. side while in 2021, the U.S. government handed over 157.

In 2022, the U.S. authorities formally handed over 307 antiquities, estimated to be worth nearly $4 million to Indian officials. These were recovered from international smuggler Subash Kapoor’s art gallery, other art galleries as well as multiple trafficking networks.

Addressing the Indian diaspora in June during his visit to the U.S., the Prime Minister had said: “I am happy that the American government has decided to return more than 100 antiquities of India that were stolen from us. These antiquities of Indian origin had reached the international market through right or wrong paths, but America’s decision to return them to India shows the emotional bond between the two nations”.