US hands over 105 trafficked antiquities to India (PHOTOS)

The antiquities will soon be repatriated to India. With these 105 newly-restored artefacts, the United States has now helped return a total of 278 priceless cultural treasures to India since 2016.

Following the State Visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the United States in June 2023, the Indian Consulate in New York on Monday took possession of 105 trafficked antiquities from American authorities.

The 105 artefacts boast diverse origins within India, with 47 hailing from Eastern India, 27 from Southern India, 22 from Central India, 6 from Northern India, and 3 from Western India. 

Ranging from the 2nd to the 18th-19th century CE, these antiquities are crafted from terracotta, stone, metal, and wood. 

Approximately 50 of them depict religious subjects related to Hinduism, Jainism, and Islam, while the remainder hold significant cultural importance.

Thanking Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, and his Anti-Trafficking Unit, along with the Homeland Security Investigation team, Indian Ambassador to the United States Taranjit Singh Sandhu emphasized that these antiquities held immense cultural and historical value for the people of India, constituting an integral part of their living heritage.

The repatriated antiquities are set to be transported to India soon. The ceremony was attended by senior officials from the Manhattan District Attorney's Office and the Homeland Security Investigation team. 

During the Prime Minister's State Visit, India and the United States reached an agreement to collaborate on a Cultural Property Agreement aimed at combating the illegal trafficking of cultural artefacts. This understanding strengthens the already robust bilateral collaboration between the Homeland Security and law enforcement agencies of both countries.

The Narendra Modi government has been dedicatedly working to repatriate stolen Indian antiquities, essential symbols of the nation's rich heritage and culture, from abroad. In recent years, India and the US have displayed close cooperation in the restitution of such antiquities. 

During the Prime Minister's 2016 visit to the US, 16 antiques were handed back by the US side. Similarly, following the Prime Minister's visit to the US in September 2021, the US administration returned 157 artifacts to India. 

Including these 105 newly repatriated antiquities, the US side has now handed over a total of 278 cultural artifacts to India since 2016.