U.S. Ambassador Eric Garcetti and Indian Ministry of Culture Secretary Govind Mohan signed a Cultural Property Agreement to prevent illegal trade, facilitate stolen antiquities repatriation, and boost India's cultural tourism.

On July 26, 2024, U.S. Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti and Secretary of the Indian Ministry of Culture Govind Mohan signed a Cultural Property Agreement between the two countries in the presence of Minister of Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. This event marks the culmination of nearly two years of diligent work by experts from both nations. It fulfills President Biden’s and Prime Minister Modi’s commitment to enhancing cooperation in protecting cultural heritage, as highlighted in their joint statement from June 2023.

In collaboration with the U.S. Embassy in India, the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs partnered with the Government of India’s Ministry of Culture and the Archaeological Survey of India to realize this agreement. The State Department negotiated the property agreement under U.S. law, implementing the 1970 UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export, and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property.

Cultural property agreements aim to prevent the illegal trade of cultural artifacts and facilitate the repatriation of looted and stolen antiquities to their countries of origin. The United States is committed to protecting and preserving cultural heritage globally and restricting the trafficking of culturally sensitive properties.

At the signing ceremony, Garcetti remarked that this cultural property agreement is about two elements. Primarily, it’s about justice–returning to India and Indians what is rightfully theirs. Further, it’s about connecting India with the world. Every American and every global citizen deserves to know, see, and experience the culture India celebrates today. He also commended the Government of India for its hospitality in hosting UNESCO’s 46^th session of the World Heritage Committee and demonstrating a commitment to protecting its cultural property and assisting other countries in doing the same. With this agreement, India joins the ranks of 29 existing U.S. bilateral cultural property agreement partners. India, renowned for its rich and diverse cultural history, houses numerous artifacts and historical sites of global significance. The U.S.-India Cultural Property Agreement will significantly bolster India's efforts to preserve its cultural heritage by helping reduce the looting of archaeological sites and historic monuments, preventing the loss of context and valuable historical information. Additionally, by protecting and repatriating cultural artifacts, the agreement will enhance the country’s cultural tourism sector, attracting scholars, historians and tourists interested in its heritage. The agreement will foster educational exchanges and collaborative research between American and Indian institutions, enriching the academic study of Indian culture and history.