PM Modi’s US visit: Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his happiness to the Indian diaspora in the US at the Ronald Reagan Center and revealed that the US government has decided to return over 100 stolen antiquities to India.
PM Modi addressed the Indian diaspora at the Ronald Reagan Center here on Friday (local time), the concluding day of his first US state visit.
PM Modi said, “I am happy that the US government has decided to return more than 100 antiquities of India, which were stolen from us. These antiquities had reached international markets. I express my gratitude to the US government for this.
US government has decided to return over 100 antiquities of India that were stolen from us: PM Modi
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The Prime Minister said, ‘These antiquities of Indian origin had reached the international market through right or wrong routes, but the decision by the US to return them to India shows the emotional connection between the two countries.’
“Over the centuries, countless priceless artifacts, some of which had deep cultural and religious significance, were stolen and smuggled abroad. A government release said the government adopted a proactive approach to ‘bring back Indian artefacts and cultural heritage’.
In an effort to revive India’s cultural and spiritual heritage, the Indian government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is bringing back antiquities and artifacts from around the world.
It is noted that even in 2022 the US authorities returned to India 307 antiquities that were stolen by several small smuggling networks, valued at around USD 4 million.
On several foreign visits, the Prime Minister discussed the matter with global leaders and multilateral institutions and a total of 251 antiquities have been brought back to India, of which 238 have been brought back since 2014.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L Bragg Jr announced in October 2022 that he was returning 307 antiquities worth approximately US$4 million to the people of India and most of them from disgraced art dealer Subhash Kapoor, a statement said. was confiscated.