Business: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is currently on a visit to America and has met US President Joe Biden there. At the same time, keeping in mind the deep relations between America and India, America has made arrangements to return 297 antiques of India. These cultural assets of India will be brought back soon as per America's promise to return 297 antiquities stolen or smuggled from India. 

These antiques are 4000 years old 

These antiquities span a period of 4000 years and date from 2000 BCE to 1900 AD. These objects are from various parts of India and most of the antiquities are terracotta artefacts from eastern India. Others are made of stone, metal, wood and ivory and were stolen or smuggled from different parts of the country.

PM Modi and US President Joe Biden saw the exhibition

A few select pieces were shown to the Prime Minister and President Biden on the sidelines of their meeting in Wilmington, Delaware, US, during PM Narendra Modi 's visit to the US. The Prime Minister thanked US President Joe Biden for his cooperation in the return of these artefacts. PM Modi said that these were part of India's historical culture and formed the inner core of its civilisation and consciousness. 

Precious items of India are being brought back in coordination with the Ministry of Culture of the Central Government

This decision was taken earlier this year when the two countries signed a Cultural Property Agreement in July 2024. US President Joe Biden and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi informed about this in a joint statement after their meeting in June 2023. After the cooperation of the Archaeological Survey of India, the US Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs has coordinated with the Ministry of Culture of the Government of India to return these ancient statues, artifacts and records to India. 

Know about the special antiquities being returned to India

• Sandstone Apsara from Central India, 10-11th century BCE
• Bronze Jain Tirthankaras from Central India, 15-16th century
• 3rd–4th century terracotta vase from eastern India
• Stone sculpture from South India, dating from the 1st century BCE–1st century CE
• Lord Ganesha in a 17-18th century South Indian bronze
• Standing Buddha statue made of sandstone from North India, 15-16th century
• Lord Vishnu in bronze from Eastern India, 17-18th century
• Copper anthropomorphic figure from North India, dated 2000–1800 BCE
• 17-18th century South Indian bronze Lord Krishna,
• Granite-sculpted Lord Kartikeya from South India dating to the 13th–14th century BCE

578 artifacts returned amid deep Indo-US ties 

Since 2016, the US government has returned a large number of smuggled or stolen antiquities from India. See the special figures-

10 antiquities were returned during PM Modi's visit to USA in June 2016

During PM Modi's visit to USA in September 2021, arrangements were made to return 157 antiquities

105 antiquities were recovered during PM Modi's visit to USA in June last year

The total number of cultural artifacts returned from America to India since 2016 is 578, which is the largest number of cultural artifacts returned to India from any country. This is a big step to protect the cultural heritage of both the countries and promote cultural understanding.