Washington, Sept. 22: The US has handed over to India 297 antiquities, which were smuggled out of the country, during the ongoing visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, an official statement said on Sunday.

Official sources said illicit trafficking of cultural property is a longstanding issue that has affected many cultures and countries throughout history, and India has been particularly hit. “Deepening cultural connect and strengthening the fight against illicit trafficking of cultural properties. I am extremely grateful to President Biden and the US Government for ensuring the return of 297 invaluable antiquities to India,” Modi said on social media X.

He thanked President Joe Biden for his support in the return of these artefacts. He noted that these objects were not just part of India’s historical material culture, but formed the inner core of its civilisation and consciousness, the statement said. With this, the total number of ancient items recovered by India since 2014 has gone to 640, officials said, adding the number returned from the USA alone will be 578. This is the maximum number of cultural artefacts returned by any country to India.-Agencies