In a significant step toward repatriating stolen cultural treasures, the United States has returned over 1,400 looted artifacts valued at $10 million to India. The return, announced on Wednesday, marks the latest chapter in an ongoing initiative to reclaim stolen art from across South and Southeast Asia. These items, many of which were trafficked and illegally sold, were part of a broader effort to tackle the illicit antique trade that has plagued global cultural heritage for decades.
Among the artifacts returned are items that had been displayed at prestigious institutions such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. A standout among these is a sandstone sculpture of a celestial dancer, which was smuggled from central India to London before being illegally sold to one of the Met’s patrons. The patron later donated the artifact to the museum, unknowingly acquiring it from the illicit art trade.
The Role of Subhash Kapoor and Other Traffickers
The repatriation follows years of investigations by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office into global looting networks. These investigations have uncovered the operations of notorious art traffickers, including Nancy Wiener and Subhash Kapoor, an antiquities dealer whose criminal activities have made him one of the most infamous figures in the illicit art trade.
Kapoor, who ran a multimillion-dollar antiquities trafficking operation through his New York gallery, was arrested in Germany in 2011 and later sent to India to face charges. In 2012, the US sought his extradition, but Kapoor remains in custody in India as the legal process continues.
“Today’s repatriation marks another victory in what has been a multiyear international investigation into antiquities trafficked by one of history’s most prolific offenders,” said William Walker, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations’ New York office. His remarks, made in a press statement, highlighted the ongoing effort to dismantle the networks behind these illicit trades.
Repatriation Ceremony at Indian Consulate in New York
The formal handover of the artifacts took place at a ceremony held at the Indian Consulate in New York. The return of these stolen treasures is a significant achievement in the battle to protect cultural heritage. The artifacts, which span a variety of mediums and time periods, were returned as part of the ongoing cooperation between the United States and India in combating cultural property theft.
In July, the two countries had signed an agreement aimed at enhancing the protection of cultural property. This agreement not only seeks to prevent the illegal trade of antiquities but also streamlines the process for returning stolen cultural items to India.
Previous Returns and Strengthened Ties
This repatriation follows the return of 297 stolen antiquities in September, which were part of a broader effort to protect India’s rich cultural heritage. These items date from as far back as 2000 BCE and span various regions of India. The majority of the returned antiquities are terracotta artifacts from Eastern India, but others are made from stone, metal, wood, and ivory, representing diverse parts of the country.
The United States has long been an important partner in the return of stolen cultural property. The collaboration between the two nations has grown significantly in recent years, with major milestones in the restitution of cultural artifacts. Since 2016, the US government has facilitated the return of hundreds of stolen antiquities to India, with notable returns occurring during official visits by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. These efforts have included the return of 10 antiquities in June 2016, 157 in September 2021, and 105 in June 2023.
As of September, the total number of cultural artifacts returned to India by the United States has reached 578, making the US the leading country in terms of returned cultural property.
A Continued Commitment to Cultural Preservation
The return of these 1,400 artifacts is part of a broader trend toward cultural restitution, which has become a key focus in India-US relations. The Ministry of External Affairs in India expressed its gratitude, highlighting the importance of these efforts in fostering cultural understanding and strengthening ties between the two nations.
“In recent times, restitution of cultural property has become an important aspect of India-US cultural understanding and exchange,” the Ministry said in a statement. “The total number of cultural artifacts returned from the US to India since 2016 stands at 578. This is the maximum number of cultural artifacts returned by any country to India.”
