US hands over 297 antiquities to India which were smuggled out of country

The US has handed over to India 297 antiquities, which were smuggled out of the country, during the ongoing visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, officials said on Sunday. Official sources said the illicit trafficking of cultural property is a longstanding issue that has affected many cultures and countries throughout history, and India has been particularly hit. Modi said on X, "Deepening cultural connect and strengthening the fight against illicit trafficking of cultural properties. I am extremely grateful to President Biden and the US Government for ensuring the return of 297 invaluable antiquities to India." With this, the total number of ancient items recovered by India since 2014 has gone to 640, officials said, adding the number returned from the USA alone will be 578. Apart from the current visit, the earlier visits of Modi to the USA have also been particularly fruitful in return of antiquities to India. Officials said during his visit to the US in 2021, 157 antiquities