US returns nearly 300 smuggled antiquities to India amid PM Modi's visit

With this, the total number of stolen Indian antiquities recovered from the US since 2016 went up to 578, the maximum antiquities returned by any country to India.

In Short

• Antiquities date back to around 4,000 years, mainly terracotta from eastern India
• Total antiquities recovered from US since 2016 now 578, highest by any country
• India-US signed Cultural Property Agreement in July to curb antiquities trafficking

A total of 297 antiquities stolen from India were returned to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to the US on Saturday.

With this, the total number of stolen Indian antiquities recovered from the US since 2016 went up to 578, the maximum antiquities returned by any country to India.

PM Modi thanked the US government and Biden for returning the antiquities.

He said in a post on X, "Deepening cultural connect and strengthening the fight against illicit trafficking of cultural properties. I am extremely grateful to President Biden and the US Government for ensuring the return of 297 invaluable antiquities to India."

Some of the antiquities were showcased to PM Modi and US President Biden on the sidelines of their bilateral meeting at the latter's residence in Delaware in a symbolic handing over.

"Prime Minister thanked President Biden for his support in the return of these artefacts. He noted that these objects were not just part of India’s historical material culture, but formed the inner core of its civilization and consciousness," the MEA said.

"The antiquities belong to a time period spanning almost 4000 years, from 2000 BCE – 1900 CE and have origins in different parts of India. Majority of the antiquities are terracotta artefacts from Eastern India, while others are made in stone, metal, wood and ivory and belong to different parts of the country," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.

"In recent times, restitution of cultural property has become an important aspect of India-US cultural understanding and exchange. Since 2016, the US Government has facilitated the return of a large number of trafficked or stolen antiquities," the MEA added.

Several antiquities have been returned by the US to India during PM Modi's previous visits as well. During PM Modi's visit to the US in 2021, a total of 157 antiquities were handed over by the US government, including the exquisite bronze Nataraja statue from the 12th century CE. Similarly, during PM Modi's US visit in 2023, 105 antiquities were returned to India.

Notably, in July, India and the US signed the first ever 'Cultural Property Agreement' to prevent and curb the illicit trafficking of antiquities from India to the US on the sidelines of the 46th World Heritage Committee in Delhi.