US agrees to return 297 Indian antiquities during PM Modi’s Visit

The United States of America has agreed to facilitate the return of 297 stolen or smuggled Indian antiquities to India from the United States. In a symbolic gesture, a few of the artefacts to be returned to India were displayed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Joe Biden during their meeting on 21 September 2024.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Joe Biden held a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the  6th Quad summit meeting in Wilmington, Delaware.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on a three-day visit to the United States from 21-23 September 2024.

US has returned 578 Artefact to India in last 8 Years 

Since the coming into power of the Modi government in India, the United States government has facilitated the return of 578 artefacts to India since 2016. 

During PM Modi’s first visit to the USA in June 2016, 10 antiquities were returned. During his September 2021 visit, 157 antiquities were returned,105 in June 2023, and 297 during his 2024 visit.

India -US Agreement on Cultural Property Agreement

The Archaeological Survey of India under the Union Ministry of Culture and the United States government’s  State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs signed a Cultural Property Agreement in July 2024 in New Delhi.

Under the Cultural Property Agreement, the US government will return to India any Indian artefacts mentioned in the US government's designated list. The designated list of the US government lists the artefacts whose import is restricted to the United States.

About the 297 artefacts to be returned to India

The 297 artefacts to be returned to India are from the 2000 BCE—1900 CE period. They include terracotta artefacts from Eastern India and artefacts made of stone, metal, wood, and ivory from different parts of the country.

• Some of the notable artefacts coming to India are as follows:
• Apsara in sandstone from Central India ( 10-11th century CE);
• Jain Tirthankar in bronze from Central India ( 15-16th century CE);
• Terracotta vase from Eastern India(3-4th century CE);
• Standing Lord Buddha in sandstone from North India(15-16th century CE);
• Lord Vishnu in Bronze from Eastern India(17-18th century CE);
• Anthropomorphic figure in copper from North India ( 2000-1800 BCE);
• Lord Krishna in bronze from South India(17-18th century CE),
• Lord Karthikeya in granite from South India (13-14th century CE).
• Stone Sculpture from South India (1st century BCE-1st century CE);
• Lord Ganesh in Bronze from South India(17-18th century CE);