India, US sign Cultural Property Agreement to pave way for repatriation of cultural properties

India and the US signed the Cultural Property Agreement on the sidelines of the 46th session of the World Heritage Committee in the New Delhi on Friday.

The agreement provides for the repatriation of India’s cultural properties from the US.

“A historic day for India’s cultural heritage! Today, on the sidelines of the 46th session of the World Heritage Committee #46WHC, India & USA signed the Cultural Property Agreement. The Agreement provides for the repatriation of our priceless heritage, deepening our cultural ties,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal posted on X.

The agreement was signed by the US Ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti and Govind Mohan, the Secretary, of the Ministry of Culture.

The Union Minister of Culture, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, was also present on the occasion.

“This event marks the culmination of nearly two years of diligent work by experts from both countries and fulfills President Biden’s and Prime Minister Modi’s commitment to enhance cooperation to protect cultural heritage highlighted in the joint statement issued after their meeting in June 2023,” the US Embassy said in a press release.

The US State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, working with the US Embassy in India, worked in partnership with India’s Ministry of Culture and the Archaeological Survey of India to bring this cultural property agreement to fruition.

Cultural property agreements prevent the illegal trade of cultural property and simplify the process by which looted and stolen antiquities may be returned to their country of origin, the release stated.

“The United States has been unwavering in its commitment to protect and preserve cultural heritage worldwide and to restrict trafficking in cultural property,” it added.

US Ambassador Eric Garcetti lauded the agreement and said its primary aim is to return those things to India and Indians, which is “rightfully theirs,” and also connect India with the world.

“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.

Union Minister Shekhawar also praised the agreement and called it a big day for India and the US, adding that it will pave the way for easy repatriation of cultural properties to India.

“Today is a big day for India and the US as the repatriation agreement has been signed…This is indeed a big day for India as it will pave the way for easy repatriation of cultural properties to our country which have illegally gone to other countries and especially the United States. Moreover, it will pave the way for such agreements with other countries as well,” he told ANI.

He also congratulated the Government of India for being a gracious host of UNESCO’s 46th session of the World Heritage Committee, noting that by hosting this important meeting, India demonstrates its commitment to not only protecting its own cultural property, but to also assisting other countries in doing the same.

With this agreement, India joins the ranks of 29 existing US bilateral cultural property agreement partners, the release stated.

The US-India Cultural Property Agreement was negotiated by the US State Department under the US law implementing the 1970 UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property, it added.