India's Cultural Repatriation Drive: Heritage Recovery Task Force Proposed

A parliamentary panel recommends forming a Heritage Recovery Task Force to enhance India's cultural repatriation efforts. The report advises leveraging economic and diplomatic influence to negotiate agreements with other countries, incorporating technology in provenance research, and establishing a Heritage Repatriation Fund through public-private partnerships.

A recent parliamentary panel has proposed the creation of a Heritage Recovery Task Force designed to bolster India's efforts in cultural repatriation. Comprised of diplomats, legal experts, archaeologists, and art historians, this task force aims to reclaim valuable Indian artifacts held overseas.

The report emphasizes India's growing need to use its economic and diplomatic influence to form cultural property agreements with more countries, similar to a recent agreement with the United States. Such agreements should detail processes for identifying looted artifacts, resolving disputes, and facilitating repatriation.

The committee stresses the importance of employing advanced technologies like AI for provenance research to build strong legal claims. Additionally, forming a 'Heritage Repatriation Fund' is suggested to support these efforts, with contributions from corporations, wealthy individuals, and the Indian diaspora.

(With inputs from agencies.)