PM Modi US Visit: Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his happiness before the India Diaspora at the Ronald Reagan Center in US and revealed that the US government decided to return more than 100 stolen antiquities back to India.
PM Modi on the concluding day of his maiden US State visit addressed the Indian diaspora at Ronald Reagan Center here on Friday (Local Time).
PM Modi said, “I am happy that the American government has decided to return more than 100 antiquities of India that were stolen from us. These antiquities had reached the international markets. I express my gratitude to the American government for this.”
US government has decided to return over 100 antiquities of India that were stolen from us: PM Modi
---Advertisement---Read @ANI Story | https://t.co/opwLRlK3MV#USGovernment #PMModi #NarendraModi #India #US pic.twitter.com/vYafoJuZIv
— ANI Digital (@ani_digital) June 24, 2023
The Prime Minister said, “These antiquities of Indian origin had reached the international market through right or wrong paths, but America’s decision to return them to India shows the emotional bond between the two nations.”
“Over centuries, innumerable priceless artefacts, some with deep cultural and religious significance, had been stolen and smuggled abroad. The government adopted a proactive approach to ‘bringing back Indian artefacts and cultural heritage,” said a government release.
In a bid to rejuvenate India’s cultural and spiritual heritage, the Government of India, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is bringing back antiquities and artefacts from across the world.
It is noted that in 2022 also the US authorities returned 307 antiquities that were stolen by multiple smaller trafficking networks to India, valued at nearly 4 million USD.
On numerous foreign visits, Prime Minister discussed the matter with global leaders and multilateral institutions and total of 251 antiquities have been brought back to India, out of which 238 were brought back since 2014.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L Bragg Jr had announced in October 2022 that they are returning 307 antiquities valued at nearly USD 4 million to the people of India and the majority of them were seized from disgraced art dealer Subhash Kapoor, a statement said.
