India and the United States made a significant stride in cultural preservation by signing their first-ever cultural property agreement aimed at preventing the illegal trafficking of antiquities and facilitating the return of cultural artifacts to their countries of origin.
The agreement was signed by Union Cultural Secretary Govind Mohan and US envoy Eric Garcetti on Friday during the ongoing 46th session of the World Heritage Committee at Bharat Mandapam.
Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, who was present during the signing, stated that the agreement would pave the way for a smooth repatriation process of historic artifacts from the US to India.
“There are 297 items lying in the US, ready to be repatriated,” Shekhawat noted.
Since 1976, India has successfully repatriated 358 antiquities, with 345 of these retrieved since 2014.
The agreement is designed to prevent illegal trafficking and ensure the return of antiquities to their rightful places.
The Ministry of Culture emphasized that the signing of this agreement aligns with international efforts to protect cultural heritage.
In a statement, the US Embassy highlighted that with this agreement, India joins 29 other nations that have established similar bilateral cultural property agreements with the US.
“This cultural property agreement is about two things. First and foremost, it’s about justice—returning to India and to Indians what is rightfully theirs,” Garcetti remarked.
“Secondly, it’s about connecting India with the world. To know Indian culture is to know human culture,” he added.
The US-India Cultural Property Agreement was negotiated under US law that implements the 1970 UNESCO Convention, which prohibits the illicit import, export, and transfer of ownership of cultural property.
Garcetti praised India for hosting the World Heritage Committee session, affirming that it reflects the country's commitment to safeguarding its cultural heritage.
“This event marks the culmination of nearly two years of diligent work by experts from both countries and fulfills President Biden’s and Prime Minister Modi’s commitment to enhance cooperation in protecting cultural heritage,” the embassy stated.
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