A parliamentary committee has asked the Union Culture Ministry to set up a special ‘Heritage Recovery Task Force’ to ensure repatriation of stolen Indian artifacts from across the world.
The proposed “Heritage Recovery Task Force” should comprise diplomats, legal experts, archaeologists, and art historians.
The panel suggested using advanced imaging techniques, DNA analysis of organic materials, and AI-powered databases to establish the Indian origin of disputed artefacts and track their chain of ownership.
The parliamentary standing committee on culture, led by Janata Dal (United) MP Sanjay Jha, noted in its latest report that the Archaeological Survey of India was spearheading cultural recovery efforts, including the Kohinoor and thousands of artefacts, removed during British colonial rule. To further strengthen the campaign, the government should consider establishing a specialised “Heritage Recovery Task Force (HRTF).”
The report was tabled in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.
“This multidisciplinary team would be dedicated exclusively to identifying, documenting, and pursuing claims for stolen Indian artifacts worldwide. The task force could develop comprehensive dossiers on priority items, including detailed provenance research, legal arguments for restitution, and cultural significance documentation to bolster India’s claims,” the report said.
While the task force would have a specialised role, the panel suggested that India should leverage its growing economic and diplomatic influence to negotiate cultural property agreements with more countries, similar to the recent pact with the United States.
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Panel stated that these agreements would help establish systems for identifying looted artefacts and resolving disputes before facilitating their return.
The agreement signed between India and the United States in June 2024 led to the repatriation of 297 antiquities in September.
