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Indian Consulate in New York hosts repatriation ceremony for 297 antiquities
The U.S. returned 297 stolen Indian antiquities, including statues, sculptures, and medallions, spanning 4,000 years.
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Repatriation ceremony in NY. / Image - X/ IndiainNewyork
The Consulate General of India in New York in Nov. 11 ceremony repatriated 297 Indian-origin antiquities that had been stolen or trafficked from the country. The artifacts were handed over by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
The repatriation follows the July 2024 Cultural Property Agreement between the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and India’s Archaeological Survey, reaffirming commitments made by President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Narendra Modi during their June 2023 meeting.
These antiquities span 4,000 years, from 2000 BCE to 1900 CE, and originate from various regions of India. Notable items include a 1st-2nd century CE Tile Rooster Medallion from Jammu and Kashmir, a 5th-6th century Buddha statue in the Abhaya Mudra pose, and a 15th-16th century anthropomorphic copper figure from North India. Other significant pieces include a 10th-11th century sandstone Apsara and a granite Lord Karthikeya statue from the 13th-14th century.
Homecoming of Indian Antiques @IndiainNewYork hosted a Repatriation ceremony for 297 Indian-origin antiquities, representing rich culture and heritage of India, returning home after Hon'ble P.M @narendramodi's visit to the U.S. earlier this year.
— India in New York (@IndiainNewYork) November 11, 2024
The antiquities, handed over… pic.twitter.com/ZcJsA54hsI
Prime Minister Modi thanked President Biden during the symbolic handover of select artifacts at the Quad Summit in September. He emphasized their importance to India’s civilizational identity, describing the objects as integral to the country’s cultural consciousness.
India’s Ministry of Culture noted the restitution underscores growing cultural collaboration between the two nations. Since 2016, the U.S. has returned 578 stolen or trafficked Indian artifacts — the most by any country.
The event also highlighted the U.S.’ commitment to addressing cultural heritage crimes. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg praised ongoing cooperation, calling the repatriation an “act of justice and cultural restoration.”
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