The United States has returned 657 ancient Indian statues and artefacts that were illegally smuggled out of the country. The collection is valued at about $14 million (around ₹117 crore), according to the report.
The items were formally handed over to officials from the Indian Consulate in New York. Among the recovered pieces are rare sculptures such as an Avalokiteshvara from Chhattisgarh, an Abhaya Mudra Buddha, and a Dancing Ganesha.
A standout item in the lot is a red sandstone Buddha statue valued at $7.5 million. The handover is seen as another step in strengthening India–US cooperation in protecting cultural heritage.
The recovery followed sustained investigations into an international smuggling network linked to antiquities dealer Subhash Kapoor and convicted trafficker Nancy Wiener. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg Jr. said efforts to recover stolen art and return it to its homeland would continue.
