US to Fast-Track Repatriation of Stolen Antiques to India – Reports- Analysis

India and the US are in the final stages of negotiating a pact that would facilitate the swift return of stolen or smuggled artifacts, according to officials cited by The Indian Express. The agreement, known as a Cultural Property Agreement (CPA), would involve the US voluntarily returning the stolen items to India. The US Embassy in New Delhi has been working closely with India’s Ministry of Culture and the Indian Embassy in Washington to protect and repatriate stolen artifacts. Indian officials expect the pact to come into effect within a few months. Currently, the process of returning Indian artifacts located in foreign countries requires the establishment of provenance through documents, which are then verified by officials from the Archaeological Survey of India. This process can often be time-consuming with no fixed timeline. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has prioritized the return of stolen antiques, and over 400 smuggled or stolen artifacts have been returned to India from the US since 2014. In addition, the US has returned 578 stolen idols to India, with many of them being stolen by an American citizen of Indian origin who is currently serving a ten-year sentence in India.

Source: RT news: US to expedite returning stolen antiques to India – media