Blitz Bureau
INDIA and the United States have signed a Cultural Property Agreement to repatriate stolen Indian artefacts from the US. This is the first such agreement between the two countries.
Under the agreement, both countries will work together to also prevent and prohibit illicit trade, import, export and trafficking of archaeological and ethnological materials. The agreement was signed by Govind Mohan, Secretary in the Ministry of Culture and Eric Garcetti, Ambassador of the United States of America to India, on July 26.
A new chapter begins
Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, India’s Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat termed the signing of the agreement as historic and said that it will strengthen the partnership between the two nations, fostering inter-cultural growth. “It is the beginning of a new chapter to prevent the illegal trafficking of cultural property and retrieval of antiquarian objects to their place of origin,” said the minister.
Shekhawat mentioned that the agreement comes at the back of a year-long dialogue and discussion with the USA since last year’s G-20 Summit in India. He highlighted that the repatriation of illegally acquired artefacts gives communities the right to reclaim and safeguard their heritage, reaffirming their autonomy.
The minister further said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his visit to US in June last year, had conveyed his deep appreciation for the repatriation of Indian antiquities from the United States of America. As per the agreement, the US shall offer to return to India any object or material on the Designate List forfeited to the US Government.
India’s due share
Meanwhile, Garcetti, said that this is an important step to give India its due share with India now becoming the US’ 30th bilateral Cultural Property Agreement partner. Garcetti also re-iterated the US’s commitment to strengthen its partnership with India, especially through cultural diplomacy. “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. Secondly, it’s about connecting India with the world. Every American and every global citizen deserves to know, see, and experience the culture that we celebrate here today. To know Indian culture is to know human culture,” Garcetti said, according to the US Embassy in New Delhi.
