US returns 297 smuggled antiquities during PM Modi’s visit

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More than 297 artifacts that were taken illegally out of India have been recovered by the United States, according to a statement released on September 22. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is currently in the nation on a three-day visit when this action is taken. “Deepening cultural connect and strengthening the fight against illicit trafficking of cultural properties,” is what PM Modi wrote about it in a post on X. I am incredibly appreciative of President Biden and the US government for making sure that 297 priceless treasures were returned to India.

He expressed gratitude to President Joe Biden for helping to secure the return of these artifacts. He stated that these artifacts were the fundamental building blocks of India’s civilization and consciousness, not merely a component of its past material culture, according to the official statement. As a result, the officials stated that India has already retrieved 640 antiquated objects since 2014. They also mentioned that 578 illicit antiquities were returned to India by the United States alone, making it the nation with the largest repatriation of cultural artifacts to India.

The ‘apsara’ in sandstone from central India dating to the 10th–11th century CE, the bronze Jain Tirthankar from the 15th–16th century CE, the terracotta vase from eastern India dating to the 3rd–4th century CE, and the stone sculpture from South India dating to the 1st century BCE–1st century CE are just a few of the noteworthy antiquities that were given to India.

Among the other notable objects are upright Lord Buddha in sandstone from north India from the 15–16th century CE, Lord Ganesh in bronze from south India from the 17–18th century CE, and Lord Vishnu in bronze, dating from the 17th to the 18th century CE, from Eastern India. PM Modi received 157 artifacts from the US on his visit to India in 2021, among them the bronze Nataraja statue dating back to the 12th century CE. Additionally, another 105 antiques were returned to India following the Prime Minister’s visit to the US in 2023.

India and the United States signed the first-ever “Cultural Property Agreement” in July 2024 in New Delhi, on the fringes of the 46th World Heritage Committee, with the goal of preventing and reducing the illegal trafficking of antiquities from India into the USA.

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