India steps up hunt for stolen historical treasures

Return of nearly 300 antiquities by the U.S. highlights scale of smuggling

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi posts a photo of his meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden on X. The two countries have signed an agreement to curb the smuggling of Indian cultural treasures.

NEETA LAL, Contributing writer

October 3, 2024 14:52 JST

NEW DELHI -- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent trip to the U.S. was capped off with an unusual gift from his host, President Joe Biden: nearly 300 Indian antiquities dating back as far as 4,000 years.

Smuggled out of the country over the past few decades, the trove included rare terracotta, stone, metal, wood and ivory artifacts that had been seized by American authorities.