India anticipates a significant return of its antiquities from abroad, as the United States (US) has proposed the repatriation of 1,440 artefacts held by American museums and authorities. A team of experts from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has already been dispatched to New York to assess the historical and cultural value of these objects.
The Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, Govind Mohan, has remarked that this repatriation effort could constitute the most extensive return of cultural heritage objects ever, many of which were pilfered from various Indian sites and smuggled out of the country over the decades. He stated, “Large-scale activities are underway in this regard. The US is eager to return 1,440 antiquities from their provincial museums. The ASI team is already in New York to determine their origins and whether they should be reclaimed based on records. Although it may take some time, we are progressing rapidly.”
Since India gained independence, roughly 350 heritage items have been recovered from different countries, including France, Germany, Singapore, Australia, and Canada. According to the ministry, around 190 of these objects were retrieved from the United States. The rate of repatriation has notably increased since 2014, as only 13 items had been recovered between 1947 and 2014. Many of these items were smuggled by the infamous art dealer Subhash Kapoor, who is currently serving a prison sentence in Tamil Nadu.
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