The United States has returned 297 stolen Indian antiquities, which include statues, sculptures, and medallions, dating back over 4,000 years.

In a ceremony held on November 11, the Consulate General of India in New York officially repatriated these artifacts, which had been illegally removed from India. The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office and U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) were responsible for handing over the items.

This repatriation is a part of the Cultural Property Agreement signed in July 2024 between the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and India’s Archaeological Survey. The agreement reinforces the commitments made by U.S. President Joe Biden and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during their meeting in June 2023.

The returned items, spanning from 2000 BCE to 1900 CE, come from different regions of India. Noteworthy artifacts 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 13th-14th century granite statue of Lord Karthikeya.

Prime Minister Modi expressed his gratitude to President Biden during the symbolic handover of select artifacts at the Quad Summit in September, emphasizing the cultural significance of the objects, which are vital to India’s historical identity.

India’s Ministry of Culture highlighted that this repatriation is a testament to the increasing cultural cooperation between the two nations. Since 2016, the U.S. has returned 578 stolen or trafficked Indian artifacts, making it the leading country in repatriating such items.

The event also underscored the U.S.’s commitment to combatting cultural heritage crimes. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg praised the ongoing partnership, describing the repatriation as an "act of justice and cultural restoration.