Australia Returns 29 Antiquities Rs 1500 Crore Investment

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What has happened?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday inspected 29 stolen antiquities dating as far back as 9th Century that were brought back to India from Australia about a week ago.
Modi thanked his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison for the return of the antiquities, while speaking at the second India-Australia virtual summit on Monday.
He said the antiquities had been taken illegally from Rajasthan, West Bengal, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh and other States.

In 2019, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison had announced the return of other Indian artefacts held by the National Gallery of Australia.
“Like India, we understand the value of our ancient cultures and artefacts,” the Australian Prime Minister had said.
“The return of these artefacts is the right thing to do. This is another demonstration of the deep relationship between Australia and India.”

According to Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) officials, the antiquities would be sent back to the States where they were stolen from, in case FIRs were filed.
In a tweet, the Culture Ministry said the antiquities were divided into six broad categories: Shiva and his disciples; worshipping Shakti; Lord Vishnu and his forms; Jain tradition; and portraits and decorative objects.
The antiquities, comprising a mix of sculptures, paintings, portraits and decorative objects, range from States across the country.
While 15 of the 29 artefacts have been identified as belonging to Rajasthan, the rest have been marked as originally from Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana and West Bengal.

The oldest antiquity, a sandstone idol titled ‘Shiva Bhairava’ is believed to date back to 9th-10th century CE.
Other antiquities include a bronze statue of seventh-century child saint ‘Sambandar’ from Tamil Nadu, A 12th century sandstone statue from Gujarat depicting Goddess Durga slaying the buffalo demon, and 1th century marble relics from Mount Abu showing the arch of a Jain shrine and a Jain sculpture.
The repatriated items also consist of photographic and painted portraits of- Maharaja Sir Kishen Pershad Yamin, and Hiralal A. Gandhi among others.

An ASI official said with these antiquities from Australia, the number of retrieved antiquities since 2014 had reached 228.
Three more – one each from Italy, the United Kingdom and Australia – would soon be brought back as they had been handed over to Indian high commissions in those countries

The government has been actively pursuing the recovery of India’s antiquities that were stolen and forcibly taken away by colonialists over the years.
“This continues the efforts by the Modi government to bring back our antiquities and artefacts from across the world,” the government said.
Between 2004 and 2014, only one ancient antiquity returned to India.
However, between 2014 and 2021, over 200 antiquities have either returned or are in the process of being returned.
Also, between 1976 and 2013, only 13 such antiquities had been returned.
“This means, in seven years, the Modi government has brought back more ancient Indian treasures than the four decades before it.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison held talks on the occasion of the second India-Australia virtual summit, To lay the roadmap on new initiatives and enhance cooperation in a diverse range of sectors between the two countries.
The Summit follows the historic first Virtual Summit in June 2020 when the relationship between India and Australia was elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

The summit witnessed largest ever trade pact by the Australian government in India with investments worth Rs 1,500 crore in the country across multiple sectors.
The two countries also concluded an early harvest agreement which is aimed at liberalising tariffs on the trade of certain goods between two countries or trading blocs before a comprehensive agreement.

Morrison talked about the threat of increasing change in the Indo-Pacific region in the wake of Russia’s aggression in Ukraine.
In an apparent reference to China’s aggressive posture in the region, the Australian Prime Minister said the call by Quad leaders to discuss “Russia’s unlawful invasion of Ukraine”
Also gave the opportunity to discuss the “implications and consequences of that terrible event for our own region” in the Indo-Pacific and the “coercion and the issues that we face here.”
Prime Minister Modi, however, didn’t refer to the Russian invasion and focussed his remarks on the shared values and “remarkable progress” made by the two countries in various sectors.
The Prime Minister stressed the importance of an early conclusion of a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA), saying it will be “crucial for our economic relations, economic revival and economic security.“
“There is also a good collaboration going on between us in Quad. Our cooperation reflects our commitment to free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific,” he said.